Summer at Training Camp
by kaufmanl
Summary: Everyone knows summer is the best time of the year. It's a time to see old camp friends, kick back, relax, and forget about the school year. And that's exactly what Hermes intends to do: Forget. Artemis intends to forget, as well. Forget love and go back to the life she used to have, when everything was so simple. Easy, right? Sequel to "Mt. Olympus Junior High".
1. Chapter 1: Brightwood Academy

**This is the sequel to _Mt. Olympus Junior High. _You might want to check that out if you haven't before you read this, since it probably won't makes sense if you don't. Please review!**

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_**Artemis**_

I flip the last page of the book I'd been reading and sigh. That's the fifth book I've finished today. Summer kicked off with rain. This is the third day I've sat inside with nothing to do. Sighing again, I get to my feet and walk across the hall to Apollo's room, not bothering to knock. It's not like I'd be barging in on anything important, anyway. He never does anything interesting.

"Got any other books?" I ask, laying the one I'd been reading on the desk. He sets down his guitar and shakes his head.

"Nope. You've read them all. Including all of my old textbooks. From third grade," He points out. I groan.

"There's absolutely _nothing_ to do," I whine.

"Want to play a board game?" He offers.

"Why on _Earth_ would I want to play a board game?" I shoot back.

"Just a suggestion," He mutters, throwing his hands up in the air. "You could always go outside and cause motiveless pain and suffering to innocent animals."

"Apollo, it's raining," I remind him.

"So, you'd be a little wet. Big whoop."

"Apollo, what kind of idiot would be out in this weather?"

_**Hermes**_

I push my dripping hair out of my eyes and knock on the slick, wooden door to the Underworld. One of Hades's creepy-ass masked servants opens the door and glares at me through the eye-slits.

"Here are your dead souls," I tell him, handing him a bag of jars. "Oh, and here's Hades's monthly edition of Hydra Beat. Tell him he needs to renew his subscription if he wants to keep getting it." The servant grunts something that I take as, "Sure thing, homie." and closes the door. I turn and rifle around in the mailbag, my hand blindly finding the last letter. I pull it from the bag and attempt to decipher the address written on it in loopy, elaborate handwriting.

_Mrs. Crystal Reef_

_Ashwood Stables_

_Mt. Olympus, Greece_

Who in their right mind would want to get in touch with Crystal? As I fly towards the barn, it hits me that I could just look at the return address instead of wondering about it. I am a genius.

_Sir Alder Bracken_

_Brightwood Academy_

_Mt. Olympus, Greece_

I stop dead in my tracks.

If you've been living under a rock and don't know what Brightwood Academy is, it's a huge deal. It's this super-prestigious boarding school that specializes in horseback-riding. Brightwood students go on to be world-renowned champions. In order to get in to Brightwood, you must first be asked to try out. Even then you're not sure if you've gotten in. Only about 5% of all applicants make it, and of that 5%, only 10% makes the competition team. Barns like Brightwood compete at the elite level on the A Circuit, otherwise there's no way I would've won Nationals six times, some hotshot from Brightwood would've crushed me. There are three levels at the A Circuit. Junior, which is for kids ages 2-7, teen, which is for kids 8 and up, and elite, which is for prestigious schools like Brightwood Academy, Pelham Lane, and Star Stables. Others compete at the teen level and hope to be snapped up by a scout from one of these schools, unless be doomed to a humiliating life of never-ending teen competitions. In order to compete at the elite level, your team as a whole must pass a second test, in addition to the one taken individually to be allowed to compete on the A Circuit.

I fly faster now, eager to know what business Sir Alder Bracken of Brightwood Academy has with Crystal and her team of riders. We're pretty accomplished, Apollo was undefeated this year, Aphrodite was undefeated this year, I've won Nationals six times, and this is the first year that Ares hasn't been undefeated, but in comparison to Brightwood, we may as well be a group of beginners scraped up off the streets and thrown into the saddle.

The barn comes into view, and I put on a new burst of speed and rush in through the double doors.

"Hermes!" Crystal snaps, "What did I say about flying in the barn?! You'll spook the horses!"

"Sorry," I pant, "but I have a letter for you. From Brightwood Academy." I swear, the whole barn goes silent. Not a single swallow dares to chirp, not a mouse stirs, not a horse stamps its feet. Crystal takes the letter from my hands and slowly, carefully opens it. Then she begins to read. As her eyes run down the page, her expression grows more and more excited. When she finishes, she folds up the letter and shoves it into her pocket. "What?" I ask, "What's going on?"

"Alder Bracken is a scout from Brightwood," She explains, "and she wants to see my competition team compete for a spot at Brightwood!" My eyes widen. A spot at Brightwood could change our lives! Our riding careers would take off! Wait, she said a spot. As in, singular. One spot. Ten members of the Ashwood competition team.

Oh shit.


	2. Chapter 2: The Competition

**Here's chapter two! I would've gotten it up yesterday, but I had a Bat Mitzvah rehearsal. As soon as I get two reviews, I'll post the next chapter.**

**M'n'Mzutarians 4ever: I think you meant that you hope Hermes goes to ****_Brightwood. _****Ashwood is the barn where they ride now. As for Apollo and Daphne, you're going to have to wait to find out! Thanks for reviewing!**

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_**Apollo**_

"You're probably all wondering why I've gathered you here today."

"Nope."

"Not at all, actually."

"I just figured you wanted us to clean tack."

_"Just pretend you were wondering why I gathered you here today!"_

"Why did Crystal gather us here today?"

"I do not know."

"What is going on in life?

Crystal sighs and rolls her eyes before continuing.

"A scout from Brightwood Academy will be here tomorrow to watch you ride. You will all be competing for a spot at Brightwood. There will be three sections, show jumping, dressage, and cross country. You will be judged as if this is a real competition, and you're expected to treat it as one. That means velvet helmets, show jackets, tall boots, and _oh gods_ no jodhpurs! Breeches!" She instructs. "This is a _huge_ opportunity, and you all have a reason to want it." Crystal starts walking around the room, stopping at each one of us. "Ares! You've been undefeated every year, and suddenly Hestia beats you at the first competition! This is your shot to redeem yourself." Ares nods and she passes him, on to her next victim. Oh gods. It's _me_. "Apollo. You had an undefeated season, and you won the overall. He's going to be watching you. Don't give him any reason to think you wouldn't have beaten Hermes had he competed, because that's the question in everyone's mind."

"Got it," I tell her.

"Good." She moves on. "Aphrodite. Once again, undefeated. Keep the streak alive."

"I will."

"Hestia. This has been your year. You've held your own with Ares on a much smaller horse. There's no reason you can't win this. Got it?"

"Yes."

"Artemis. How many times has Hermes beat you at Nationals? _Six_. This isn't just a competition that you can redo next year. This _matters_. Show Alder Bracken you're not just the other one. Get out of Hermes's shadow. You're an _amazing_ rider, and I fully believe you could win this. Understand?"

"Yup."

"Persephone. You've always been the third place winner. Over, and over, and over. At a competition, third place means a medal and a pretty respectable ribbon. This time, third place means nothing. Zero. Zilch. Do you want nothing?"

"No."

"Dionysus. You scratched at Nationals at disgraced not only yourself, but the entire team. You really have some redeeming to do."

"I know."

"Athena. You and Apollo battled it out all season. But when we got to Nationals, you lost. Think of this as another shot. And I expect you to win."

"Okay."

"And Hermes. Six time Nationals winner. He'll know who you are, and he'll be watching you. But don't go in there like you have it all wrapped up, because you don't. You're up against a group of very talented riders, and you've only ever competed against one of them; Artemis. And I mean this in the best way possible, but you're not as good as you used to be. Your two-point is lopsided. Your posting is sloppy. This morning, you were trotting on the wrong diagonal. Third graders trot on the wrong diagonal, not six-time Nationals winners. Step it up. I want to see last season's Hermes, not this. Kay?"

"Kay."

"Good. Now that we're done with that, I want to make some changes. Artemis, I'm giving you one last shot to show me you can handle Moonbeam in the dressage and show jumping rings. If you can't, I'm moving you. Ares, I'm not even letting you try Warrior in dressage. You can ride Honey. Hermes, Quicksilver is way too small for you now. We've got a new horse in today, his name is Lancelot. Try him out and I'll see what I think. Athena, your saddle is falling apart. You're going to have to use one of Summer's. Everyone got it?" Everyone has it (although Athena does a fair bit of grumbling about having to fit into Summer's saddle-Summer's butt is _puny_), so we start practice.

Practice is harder than any practice we've ever had, including every pre-Nationals week ever, put together. She drills us in all three categories for three hours each, which, in total, means nine hours in the saddle. Saddles are not that comfortable. Now I see why Hermes is constantly complaining about his penis when he rides with a saddle, because mine is pretty close to falling off, too. The only one of us that's actually happy is Persephone, because for once she's not the target of Crystal's criticism. Oddly enough, Hermes is. And I really wish he'd fix whatever she's yelling at him about, because she won't let us go in until he does. He canters towards the roll-top smoothly, bringing Lancelot in straight. The black stallion pulls up his knees perfectly and pricks his ears, sailing beautifully over the jump. Hermes stands up in two-point, slanting himself so his body makes a parallel line over Lancelot's. If Crystal has anything bad to say about that, then I officially give up on life. I'm having my penis amputated tomorrow.

"Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy!" She cries, "How many times do I have to say this? Straighten out your two-point! You're leaning way over on your right leg." Hermes flinches. He still gets pretty panicky whenever people, especially women, raise their voices. But Crystal doesn't know about what happened, and it's not my place to tell her.

Hermes takes the jump one more time, finally to Crystal's liking. She dismisses us, and tells us to focus, because what she saw today is not Brightwood Academy-ready. She reminds us once again that only one of us gets the spot, and we need to get our heads in the game. Tomorrow, she tells us, could be the start of our careers.

Or it could be the biggest bust of our entire existences.

_**Hermes**_

We arrive at the barn at four in the morning, yet everyone seems more awake than they do in the middle of the day. Adrenaline and nerves keep us awake as we rush around the room, preparing for the arrival of Sir Alder Brackside. After our horses are ready, the barn is swept and polished, and we're dressed, I head to Quicksilver's stall to pay him a visit. It seems unfair that I should compete for the biggest opportunity of my life without him, and I have to let him know I haven't forgotten about him. But when I get there, Quicksilver isn't alone.

"Summer?!" I cry. The obnoxious little brunette smiles at me sweetly.

"What do you think of my new pony?" She asks, stroking his neck.

"Your pony?" I repeat, "Since when was he your pony?"

"Well, I told Crystal that if I was going to let one of you maggots ride in one of my pristine saddles, there'd be a price. And I've always loved Quicksilver, so there you go! Perfect solution!" She explains.

"Listen, Summer, I don't think you know what you're getting into here. Quicksilver can be really spooky. He'll bolt at anything, and he won't think twice about throwing you," I warn her.

"Relax, I'll be fine," She groans. Quicksilver snorts. "See? He loves me." Quicksilver pins his ears back threateningly when she reaches up to stroke him.

"Um, Summer?" I attempt to warn her. But she doesn't have time to respond before Quicksilver bites her outstretched finger.

"Ouch!" She yelps. I smirk. She makes a face at me. "It was just a love bite," She assures me, rubbing her red finger. "I love you too, Quicksilver!" I decide to step away before I puke from all the lovey-dovey-ness. I've only sat down on a bale of hay for about five minutes when Persephone comes rushing over and grabs me by the hand.

"He's here!" She cries, "Alder Bracken! From Brightwood! He's here!" She pulls me to the doorway, where a crowd is gathered around a tall, thin man. His hair is slicked back with an obscene amount of gel, and his moustache is curled perfectly.

He shakes all of our hands individually and tells us in his silky voice that he's delighted to meet us, and he can't wait to have one of us at Brightwood. He says that he saw us at the A Circuit National Competition and decided he had to test us for Brightwood, and that any of us would make a fabulous addition to his school. And then the competition begins.

We start with dressage, which I suppose I do okay at. My technique isn't half as good as Dionysus's or Aphrodite's, but it's better than Ares's and Persephone's. Could've been worse, I tell myself. The scores aren't announced and neither are the times. Alder Bracken explains that we will never know the final scores, and we won't know the winner until the letter is sent. He says it makes the competition more friendly, since it's generally a team competing against one another. I think it's to add suspense and dramatic effect. The entire barn watches the competition, except for Summer, who's out bonding with her new pony in the fields. I feel bad for Quicksilver.

We then move on to show jumping. Competitors aren't allowed to watch each other compete, so we wait for our turn in the tack room and hyperventilate. By some twist of horrible luck, I'm after Apollo, which means that Alder Bracken will have just seen an amazing round. The bar is set very high, and I can't keep my mind off this as I pace the tack room and wait for Apollo to come back and send me in. I'm also last, so Alder Bracken will have every mistake fresh in his mind. Lancelot is waiting for me outside, tied to a post with the other horses. It's very formal.

The door clicks open.

"Hermes," Apollo says, "your turn." I grab my helmet from the shelf and jam it onto my head, walking towards the door.

"Good luck," Artemis calls. I nod my thanks, too nervous for words, and head out to the arena. The students are gathered on a set of bleachers by the ring. I walked the course a few minutes ago, so I don't need to look it over. Trying to act calm, I untie Lancelot and swing into the saddle. The eyes of the students, Crystal, and Alder Bracken seem to burn holes in my show jacket as I make my way into the arena. I've never been so nervous in my life.

Stopping in the middle of the ring, I salute Crystal and Alder Bracken, and begin the course.

The first few jumps go pretty smoothly. Lancelot pricks his ears and pulls up his knees, and I remember Crystal's corrections and apply them. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Alder Bracken nodding in a pleased manner as I ride through the course. Of course, he was probably break-dancing with joy when Apollo was riding, but I'll take what I can get.

It all goes downhill from there.

As I'm headed into the Swedish oxer, the hardest jump of the course, Summer comes running over to the arena. She's dragging a lead rope attached to a halter, but no horse.

"I lost Quicksilver!" She screams, as if we're not all right there. "He bolted! Something spooked him, and he just ran off!" I clear her from my mind and take the oxer fairly well. In her wild, panicked arm-failing, Summer sends the lead rope and halter flying through the air. It lands in a heap right in between Lancelot and the stone wall we were about to take. Neighing shrilly, he rears up in panic, then lands forcefully and gives a good buck. As my body comes crashing to the ground, so do my chances. Falling means disqualification, and disqualification means any points I've accumulated for this round are meaningless. Even if I get a perfect score in cross country, I couldn't win. I hit the dirt with a _thud_, sending up a small cloud of ring dust. I get to my feet immediately, something I've learned to do in my many years of falling off so that people don't panic. Lying on the ground, motionless, is a recipe for chaos. Once Crystal sees I'm alright, she lets out a disappointed sigh, and I feel like jumping off a building again. I was her champion, her best shot, and I let her down.

Wanting nothing more than to get out of that arena, I walk over to Lancelot, ready to grab his reins and walk him in. But he's still pretty panicked, prancing nervously and swinging his head.

"Easy, buddy," I whisper softly, "c'mere, good boy. See? I'm not going to hurt you." I lay one hand on Lancelot's sweaty neck and the other on the bridge of his nose, standing completely still for a moment so he knows I'm nothing to be afraid of. I don't notice Alder Bracken watching me with a cocked head, a fascinated glint in his eyes. I lead Lancelot to the post and tie him up again, then trudge into the barn, leaving the silent crowd behind me.

"How'd it go?" Artemis asks as I walk into the tack room. The others look up at me expectantly.

"Blew it," I mutter. Artemis takes one look at the tan ring dust that contrasts too sharply for my pride's liking on my black show jacket and smiles sadly.

"Don't worry," She tells me, "cross country's next. You'll kill it."

"Doesn't matter," I sigh, "I got DQ'd. No points for the entire round. It's over, Artemis." She grabs me by the shoulder and twists me around so I'm facing her.

"That's no reason not to try. You're an amazing rider, Hermes. Show Alder Bracken that's not you Show him how great you are," She instructs. I smile slightly at her.

"Why not?" I reply.

The minutes in the tack room seem to be years as I wait for my turn. One by one, people go and come back. No one returns covered in dirt, as I did, but I push this out of my mind. Aphrodite comes back sulking, explaining that Beauty had refused a jump and she'd been disqualified. I welcome her to the club. And after what seemed like years of endless waiting, it was my turn.

Before I knew it, I was sitting in the saddle, facing the cross country course I'd ridden a thousand times. I know this course better than anyone else. I have no excuse not to win this section. I remember what Artemis told me._ You're an amazing rider, Hermes. Show Alder Bracken that's not who you are._

_Show him how good you are._

Crystal blows her whistle, the timer starts, and Lancelot and I take off.

I try not to think about it. That's what's always worked for me. I just let go and ride. The wind blows Lancelot's mane into my face as he gallops over jumps, racing the clock. We hurdle logs, bushes, and stone walls, all the way around to the final jump. It's a large water jump, six feet across and new this year. Squeezing my thighs tight around Lancelot's stomach, I ask him for one more burst of speed, which he gives.

And we fly.

It seems to go in slow motion, and I forget the fear of not making it, landing in the water, and once again being disqualified. I know we'll make it. And we do. He lands with inches to spare, and we race towards the finish line, ending with a record time. I bring Lancelot down to a canter, then a trot, then a walk, and I slip off his back. My jacket is splattered with mud from the course and ring dust from falling, so I shrug it off as I lead Lancelot back into the barn.

It wasn't exactly perfect. It wasn't exactly pretty. But it was my best try. Things aren't going to be easy for me anymore. I have a lot of recuperation to do, but I'm getting there. Or maybe I'm already there. Who knows?


	3. Chapter 3: Training Camp

**Here's chapter 3! I got three great reviews, and I'll post the next chapter as soon as I get two more!**

**AngelicVampireGirl: Yeah, Crystal's kind of annoying. I had a teacher once that was like that. She haunts my dreams to this day. Thank you for reviewing, there's no need to apologize for being late. Reviews are welcome whenever. Thank you!**

**ArtyMoonSon: Again, no need to apologize. I love getting your reviews, they always make me smile! They found Quicksilver, but that's not included in the story. I do ride horses, although I'm not exactly a pro. I've been riding for nine years, but I don't compete, so I'm probably not giving accurate depictions of the competitions. Thanks for the review!**

**M'n'Mzutarians 4ever: I'm assuming you asked the difference between jodhpurs and breeches? A word got cut out. If that is what you're asking, breeches are made of a thinner material and don't go down as far, so they're better worn with tell boots. Jodhpurs come down to the ankle and can be worn with short boots and half chaps. Thanks for reviewing! **

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_**Artemis**_

"THE WHEELS ON THE BUS GO ROUND AND ROUND, ROUND AND ROUND, ROUND AND ROUND. THE WHEELS ON THE BUS GO ROUND AND ROUND, ALL THROUGH THE TOWN!" Everyone's in good spirits as the rickety bus bounces along towards training camp. Brightwood Academy lurks in the backs of all of our minds, but no one talks about it. Instead, we sing this incredibly annoying song. Which is so much better. "THE BABIES ON THE BUS GO WAH WAH WAH, WAH WAH WAH, WAH WAH-"

"Wait, guys, why are there so many babies on the bus? Like, why is it babies, plural? Instead of baby, singular?" Ares asks. He's notorious for dumb questions. Everyone's silent for a moment, pondering this.

"THE _BABY_ ON THE BUS GOES WAH WAH WAH, WAH WAH WAH, WAH WAH WAH!" Apollo shouts, by way of answering.

"Wait, guys, why are there no babies on this bus?" Ares interrupts again.

"That's actually a _really_ good question," Hermes puts in.

"What? No it's not! That's the _dumbest_ question I've ever heard!" Athena cries.

"No, it's not. And why do the wheels on the bus go round and round, not up and-"

"LOOK WE'RE HERE!" I shout, determined to put an end to Ares's list of dumb questions. Everyone crawls up to the windows and peers out of them. The old, familiar sign stands in place, reading, "Mt. Olympus Training Camp: Go From Zero to Hero!" Behind it, Achilles and Jason are seated on chestnut pegasi, smiling at us. We bolt from the bus as soon as it's stopped moving. I take a deep breath of the fresh air and look around. For the next three months, this will be my home.

**_Achilles_**

Once everyone's gotten settled in, we find ourselves seated in a circle in Cabin 14.

"So, what have we missed?" I ask expectantly. They all look to Hermes, who stares at the floor.

"Well, Dionysus and Hephaestus came out," Hermes announces. Ares and Apollo share a knowing look that I can't help but be curious about.

"Came out?" Jason repeats, "I thought they were already openly an item." Dionysus smiles and Hephaestus rolls his eyes.

"As did we all," Apollo replies.

"And you're gay, too, right?" Jason asks. Apollo groans.

"Why does everyone think I'm gay?!" He cries.

"Well, because-"

"That was a rhetorical question!" He snaps.

"What about you guys? Any drama here?" Dionysus asks.

"Dude, this is the most boring place on Earth when you guys aren't here. The only thing you've missed is...um...you haven't missed anything," I tell them.

"Not true!" Jason contradicts, "we got a new camper."

"Oh, yeah," I say, "but she's a total weirdo. No one ever talks to her."

"What's her name?" Ares asks.

"Jane," Jason replies, "she's kind of pretty."

"Yeah, and she's a total nutcase!" I remind him.

"She _is_ weird," Jason agrees, "Castor asked her where she was from and she said, 'The vagina,'." Only Hermes laughs, which is predictable.

"Well, technically, it's true," Apollo points out.

"Sure, it's true, but that doesn't make it any less weird," I argue.

"And other than that, no one's ever heard her talk," Jason says. I nod.

"I'm legitimately afraid of her," I confess.

"Who wouldn't be? She's crazy!" Jason replies.

"Something probably happened to her," Hermes says quietly.

"Like what?" I prompt. He shrugs.

"I don't know. But people aren't just born crazy. She's probably been through a traumatic experience," He replies.

"That's the longest word I've ever heard you use," Dionysus says, " '_traumatic_.'"

"Maybe she's a drug addict," Jason suggests.

"I'm betting crack," I decide. People continue to suggest things that could possibly make Jane so crazy, and Hermes just kind of stares at the floor. So that's weird.

_**Artemis**_

The six girls have split into two groups of three and are seated across the room from each other. Hestia, Athena, and I form one group while Coral, Persephone, and Aphrodite make up the other. Hestia is ranting to us about Ares while Athena and I nod and mutter, "Oh, yeah," and, "Totally."

"..I know I'm not supposed to still like him," She sighs, "but, come on, how can I not? He was so sweet when we were together-"

"Before he cheated on you," Athena points out.

"I know, but he's got such great muscles," She says dreamily.

"You like him for his muscles?" I ask, "Isn't that kind of shallow?"

"Well, yes, but that's not the only reason that I like him. More like icing on the cake. If a guy doesn't have muscles, then you could do so much better," Hestia tells us wisely, "at least, that's what Aphrodite says." Athena elbows me playfully.

"Hermes _definitely_ didn't have muscles," She points out.

"I wouldn't know, seeing as I didn't strip him down," I shoot back, "whereas you've studied every inch of Apollo's body."

"No," Hestia contradicts, "she couldn't see the part that was_ inside of her_!"

"Shut up," Athena mutters, but she's laughing. We all are. And I can only hope that this good start means a good summer, because we all need that. We just need to chill for a bit, and forget. And maybe, we can move on.

_**Achilles**_

I'm notoriously a light sleeper. Which can be good, I guess. I mean, if someone tries to prank us, I'll wake up and bitch-slap them right into tomorrow before even realizing who it is. But it also means that sleeping with eight other boys isn't the easiest. Luckily, I share a bunk bed with Hermes, and he sleeps like he's dead. Which is weird, because he's so energetic when he's awake. But when he sleeps he goes completely still and he doesn't make any noise, which has led me to believe more than once that he was dead.

That's why it scares me as much as it does when the bed starts shaking. Otherwise, I wouldn't be scared. I'm a badass! Nothing scares me! Except when beds start inexplicably shaking. But soon enough I figure out that it's probably just and earthquake, no big deal.

So I sit on the shaking bed, convinced that there's an earthquake, until I realize that none of the other beds are shaking. So...weird. That's when I hear the noises. There's these strangled gasping noises coming from the bottom bunk. So...weird. Being the genius that I am, I decide to climb down to the bottom and see what's going on. Which is not an easy feat, considering the bed is shaking so violently. But being the amazing ninja that I am, I make it down. Like a boss.

I'm shocked when I realize the source of the shaking is Hermes, who's thrashing wildly on the bed. I grab his flailing arms and start shaking him, attempting to wake him up. He bolts upright, breathing heavily.

"Dude, chill, it was just a dream," I tell him. He scrambles to the other side, eyes wild and regarding me without recognition.

"Don't hurt me," He mutters crazily, "_please_ don't hurt me, I'm sorry, please don't hurt me." I take a step closer, and his pleas grow more desperate. "Please, please, please, please..."

"People aren't just born crazy. She's probably been through a traumatic experience." Hermes's words come back to me as I stare at him, and I realize they had a double meaning. He wasn't just talking about Jane Belmont. What is he hiding?

I reach for his arm again, trying to snap him out of his trance. He yanks it back and cries out unintelligible things. After that I don't touch him, because I'm afraid he's going to puke.

He does puke. He upchucks all over the floor and there's regurgitated food by my feet, but I'm so freaked out that I don't notice. I run over to Apollo's bed and slap him across the face, having learned that's the best way to wake him up.

"Five more minutes," He mumbles. I slap him again. He bolts upright. "OK, Okay, I'm up." I point to Hermes, who's vomited again and is still trembling, panicked eyes darting around the room. Apollo squints in the darkness for a moment before recognition dawns on him. "_Shit_," He mutters, getting up and bolting across the room.

"Apollo, wait!" I call, "What's going on?!"

"Don't worry about it, this happens all the time," He replies.

"What happens all the time?" I press.

"I'll explain later. Can you get me one of Ares's socks?" He asks. I run over to Ares's cubby and pull one of his never-washed moldy socks from the pile, before tossing it to Apollo, who waves it in front of Hermes's face. His eyes widen and his whole body jolts slightly. A look of horror slowly comes across his face as his eyes sweep across the room and hit the two puddles of vomit. We're all silent for a moment, until I can't stand it anymore.

"Anyone care to tell me what just happened?" I cut in.

"Not particularly," Hermes mutters.

"Well, you sort of have to tell him now," Apollo points out. Hermes crosses his arms.

"I do _not_," He argues.

"Someone needs to tell me what's going on, and no one is moving until this is explained!" I decide. No one speaks. I sigh impatiently. "Well, I guess we'll sit here all night then."

"Achilles, can't you just forget about this?" Hermes begs.

" '_Forget about this_'?!" I echo, "How do you expect me to forget about this? You were just thrashing and screaming and _vomiting_ like you were in some sort of...some sort of..."

"Night terror," Hermes finishes quietly, "it's kind of like a nightmare but more severe. And it's usually brought on by some sort of traumatic experience."

"Wait, how do you know all this?" I ask.

"Iris told me," He replies.

"Iris?" I repeat, "But, isn't Iris a-"

"Therapist, yeah," He says.

"This doesn't make any sense," I tell him. He sighs.

"I needed therapy this year because I..." He trails off and looks at Apollo, who takes the cue to finish the story.

"Hermes has bipolar disorder," Apollo explains, "and earlier this year he jumped off a building. That's why he has to go to therapy." I stare at him, dumbfounded. Of all the people I would've that could be manic depressed, Hermes wouldn't even be on the list.

"You...what?" I flounder.

"I jumped off a building," Hermes says simply, "but I landed in the lake and Artemis pulled me out before I drowned." I replay their words in my head, trying to make sense of what I'm hearing.

"Wait, but you said night terrors are brought on by a traumatic experience," I remind him. He sighs again.

"Do you _really_ have to know?" Hermes begs, "Couldn't I tell you another time?" I shake my head firmly. Hermes doesn't say anything, and so we stare at eachother for a moment. Apollo sighs impatiently.

"Hermes, you need to tell him. _Now_," Apollo orders. Hermes looks at his feet and swallows thickly.

"My mom abused me."


	4. Chapter 4: Jane Belmont

**Here's chapter 4! I got three reviews! I'll post the next chapter as soon as I get two more, although there probably won't be too many updates this weekend, because my Bat Mitzvah is on Saturday! **

**ArtyMoonSon: Thanks for another awesome review! Jane is going to become a ****_very _****important character, in fact, this whole chapter is about her!**

**Guest: Hestia and Ares get back together eventually, but not in this book. Sorry! Hestia gets a different boyfriend. That's all I can tell you :)! Thanks for reviewing!**

**M'n'Mzutarians 4ever: Sorry I haven't gotten around to editing your story, I've been busy preparing for my Bat Mitzvah! I promise I'll get to it soon! Jane, as I mentioned before, becomes one of the main characters. This chapter is all about Jane Belmont. Thanks for reviewing, hope you enjoy!**

* * *

_**Hermes**_

I take my seat at our usual table in the pavilion for breakfast, deliberately avoiding Achilles's eyes. After I explained everything last night, he's been treating me differently. Which is predictable, he probably doesn't know what to do. But that doesn't mean I like it.

In front of our table are the girls, and in front of them is an empty table. When Persephone moves, I realize it's not empty. One girl sits alone, twirling her dark brown hair and staring at her glass of water intently.

"Who's that?" I ask, prodding Jason in the arm.

"Her?" He replies, pointing to the girl. I nod. "Oh. That's Insane Jane, the one we were talking about last night."

"Is her name really Insane Jane?" I question, "Like, that's what her parents named her?"

"What? Of course not. Why would her parents name her that?" He answers. I shrug.

"To be funny," I suggest.

"That wouldn't be funny, that would be cruel. And no, her real name is not 'Insane Jane'. Her real name is Jane Belmont," He tells me.

"She looks kind of lonely," I remark.

"I wouldn't recommend talking to her," Jason advises, "she'll scar you for life." I shrug.

"I'll take my chances," I reply. Mentally, I add,_ I'm already scarred._ I get up and start walking towards her table.

"Where are you going?" Jason asks.

"To talk to Jane," I reply, "she can't be _that_ crazy." _At least, no crazier than me._ I walk over to Jane's table and sit down in front of her. She looks up from her water glass and stares at me with a confused expression.

"What are you doing?" She asks emotionlessly. I shrug.

"Talking," I reply.

"Well, if this was a bet, then congratulations, you win," She mutters with mock enthusiasm.

"It wasn't a bet," I tell her. She rolls her hazel eyes.

"That's what they all say," She groans.

"I'm Hermes," I introduce myself, "and I know what this is like." She laughs a dry, sarcastic laugh.

"You know what this is like, sure," She echoes, "no one knows what this is like. You may _think_ you do-"

"I don't like to think," I cut her off. She looks surprised.

"Well, then, you might just be worth talking to," She decides. "What makes you think you know what this is like?"

"Well, I was abused by my mother, I have bipolar disorder, and I jumped off a building," I tell her, wondering why it flows off my tongue so easily with someone I barely know than with someone I've known my whole life.

"Good job," She mutters, "I was raped by my father, ran away when I was nine, lived with my drug-addict uncle who gave me crack for dinner, and finally got dumped off here. I've tried and failed to kill myself twelve times." I throw my hands up.

"You win," I tell her. She smiles slightly, before hastily covering it up. But I caught it.

"While your life doesn't suck nearly as much as mine, you're the only person in this damn place that comes close to understanding me. Congrats, you're screwed up enough to converse with Insane Jane," She commends me sarcastically.

"Thanks, I feel like I've won the lottery," I reply. She studies me silently for a moment before sighing sadly.

"Alright, tell me how you do it," She says.

"Tell you how I do what?" I ask.

"How you have friends. I mean, if you're as screwed up as I am, then people should be giving you a wide berth," She explains.

"Well, I wasn't always like this," I tell her, "and I've known them my whole life. They've always been my friends. And Jane, it's not that people are giving you a wide berth, it's that you're pushing people away."

"Yeah, well, I've learned my lesson. I know people are no good," She replies.

"Have you even tried?" I ask, "You must've talked to the other girls at cabin bonding night last night."

"I didn't go," She says.

"Oh, you have to tell me how you got out of that."

"Easy. I hid on one of the hiking trails and climbed into the cabin through the window in the middle of the night." During the summer, training camp is more like a real camp. They open up the hiking trails, the waterfront, the arts and crafts shed, and the dance studio, although you're only allowed to do two of these activities a day. A&C (arts and crafts) is the best, since you can just sit around and play with clay. Which rhymes.

"Well, you can't exactly complain if you haven't tried," I reason.

"I can't try because I don't know how," She argues, "besides, even if you weren't always crazy, they should've started avoiding you when they found out you were."

"You just have to hide it. You can't let them know. Even if you're dying inside, on the outside, you're all smiles," I explain.

"Sounds like a wad of bullshit," She mutters.

"That's because you haven't tried," I reason.

"And I don't plan on changing that," She shoots back.

"Oh, come on. Give it a shot," I tell her.

"Who here would even want to be my friend, anyway?" She points out, sighing. I smile at her.

"Try me."

* * *

There are no messages to deliver at training camp. Which is fine, except that I wake up every day at one in the morning and then go through a crisis because I have nothing to do for seven hours. So I generally sneak out of the cabin and run laps around camp. It's nice in the morning, still kind of damp from dew, dark, cold, and silent. It's peaceful. There's never anyone else out there, which is why I'm so surprised when I pass the arena and hear someone say, "Slow down there, crazy."

"AAAAH!" I whirl around to see Jane leaning against the sword-fighting platform, smirking at me. "What are you doing?!" I cry.

"Following the blur I saw zip past my window," She replies.

"But, no one's ever awake this early!" I argue.

"I am," She shoots back, "you are."

"No one but me," I rephrase.

"Well, I guess your world just got turned upside down, Herpes."

"Oh, yeah. I don't know what I'm going to do with myself, now."

"There's a pretty conveniently located cliff a mile away from here. We can go jump, if you want."

"Not today. It's pizza day."

"Okay, I can wait. For pizza."

"What if it was macaroni and cheese day? Would you wait for macaroni and cheese?"

"Well, duh. I'm not an idiot, Herpes."

"What if you could only choose one? Pizza or macaroni?"

"What kind of sick-minded person would make me choose?"

"Join me on the dark side, Jane. We have cookies." Jane and I start walking aimlessly, and I realize I like talking to her. She gets me. I can say whatever I want, and she won't think I'm crazy. That's a nice feeling, that I don't have to think about what I'm going to say.

"So, what do you do?" Jane asks me.

"What do you mean?" I reply.

"Like, what do you do to take your mind off it all? What can always make you feel better? We all have that thing," She explains. I smile and extend my hand.

"Let me show you." Jane shrugs and takes my hand. "Hold on tight," I warn. She rolls her eyes. "Okay," I mutter, "you were warned."

"Can you get on with it?" Jane asks impatiently. In reply, I take off into the woods. Jane screams behind me, skidding along through the forest. The summer air blows back behind us as we whip past rivers and trees. I turn to look at her, and notice that she's smiling. She doesn't notice me watching her.

"Hermes?" Jane calls over the wind roaring in our ears.

"Yeah?" I reply.

"You're about to hit a tree."

"AHHHHHH!" My screams mingle with hers as I skid to a stop in front of a tall oak. She collapses on the ground in a fit of laughter. "You're pretty when you smile," I blurt out. She raises her eyebrows.

"Yeah, well, cherish it, 'cause I don't smile much," She replies, the laughter and happiness gone from her voice.

One minute. One minute Jane smiled. One minute things were better. One minute we just _ran_. And I can't help but wonder how far we could go, if we just kept adding _one minute._


	5. Chapter 5: The Letter&The Wedgie Machine

**Here's chapter 5! I would've gotten it up yesterday, but we had a bunch of people over so I had to go "be social". I'll post the next chapter as soon as I get three reviews! Please review!**

**M'n'Mzutarians 4ever: Thanks for another amazing review! A Bat Mitzvah is kind of like a coming of age ceremony. It celebrates becoming an adult in the Jewish faith. Mine is tonight! **

**SpellboundSparkle: Thank you so much! That was so nice of you to say! Don't worry about Jane, things are about to get a lot better for her. Thank you!**

* * *

_**Apollo**_

Do you ever get that feeling where you _really_ don't know what the hell is going on, but you know it isn't good? That's how I feel when I see this big wooden thing outside of Cabin 18. It looks kind of like a gallows, except the noose has three ropes in the middle arranged roughly in the shape of pair of underwear. Cabin 18 houses Theseus and the 15 year old boys, so it can't be good.

"Dude, what is that?" Hephaestus asks me.

"How should I know?" I reply.

"Well, you are kind of a nerd, so I just figured-"

"_That was a rhetorical question!"_ I snap. Odysseus blows his whistle to call us back to the matter at hand.

"Pay attention!" He shouts, "You have two minutes before the dummy explodes!"

"Can I point out that this is _totally_ unrealistic?" Dionysus calls.

"No!" Odysseus replies, "Hurry up!" The eight of us, Jason, Perseus, Achilles, Hercules, Dionysus, Ares, Hermes, and I, are sitting on top of a twenty foot wooden structure. It's only from here that we can get a good look at Cabin 18's strange contraption. However, we're supposed to be rescuing the "damsel in distress" (that is actually a poorly designed dummy) and bringing her to safety inside the building. Theseus, Bellerophon, Castor, Pollux, Morpheus, Iolaus, Arachne and Ariadne are guarding her. We've got two minutes, some swords, and some rope to rescue her.

"Anyone got a plan?" Perseus asks. Hercules grunts.

"I've got no-"

"Unusual stroke of genius!" Hermes shouts, cutting Ares off. "Alright. Clearly, they're bigger, so taking them head-on would be a bad idea. Therefore, we've got to make it look like we've got a plan. Hephaestus, you and Ares will break apart this building and throw pieces of it at them. Dionysus, you and Achilles use the rope to get down off the building, and then go hide. Make sure they can see you, and once they do, run and hide again. Jason, you and Hercules need to climb down through the inside of the building and hide. If we need you, you have to break through the wall and back us up. I'll drag Apollo down with me, and he can shoot down whoever's guarding the dummy while I steal it. Got it?" It's a surprisingly good plan, for Hermes.

The fight begins when Ares punches a hole in the roof. Jason and Hercules slip through and swing down through the building on the rafters. Dionysus and Achilles tie themselves to the building and then rappel down the side, making sure to make enough noise to attract attention. Once almost all of the fifteen year olds have gone chasing after Achilles and Dionysus, I cling onto Hermes for dear life and he flies us down to the ground.

We land noiselessly in the forest with a minute and 20 seconds left to rescue to dummy. Through the trees, we can see Theseus, Bellerophon, and Castor guarding the dummy. I draw my bow and shoot, aiming at nothing. It lands a few feet from Castor and buries itself in a bush.

"What was that?" Bellerophon asks stupidly.

"I don't know," Theseus replies. I shoot another. Castor pulls it out of the bush.

"An arrow," He mutters.

"Aim for Theseus's head this time," Hermes says.

"What?" I reply, "I can't do that! I'd kill him!"

"_Exactly_," He says devilishly. I shake my head firmly, and we advance through the woods. Once we're a little closer, I shoot again, farther away from them.

"There it is again!" Theseus shouts, bounding towards it. I shoot another one. It lands a few feet away from the last. Bellerophon and Castor join Theseus in chasing the arrows. While they're distracted, Hermes zips from his place and grabs the dummy.

What we didn't know was that they'd set up some kind of alarm system. When the dummy was pulled from it's spot, a rope we'd failed to notice yanked on a tree branch and brought down a pile of wood. I hate to admit it, but it's actually a really good idea.

"Hey! Fairy Feet's got the prisoner!" Theseus shouts. Hermes whirls around, his eyes wide as dinner plates. Theseus runs towards him. Hermes bolts for the forest, and just as Theseus is about to throw his sword, a piece of wood falls from the sky and hits him in the head. I look up to see Ares and Hephaestus pulling more wood off the building and chucking it at Theseus, Castor, and Bellerophon.

"Jason! Hercules!" I shout, firing an arrow at Bellerophon, who ducks under it. Hercules breaks down the wall and he and Jason burst through it. Hercules grabs Castor and wrestles him to the ground, while Jason chases after Bellerophon. Theseus calls for his teammates, many of whom have left chasing Achilles and Dionysus. He manages to get Morpheus and Iolaus out, and they stand in front of the building, blocking Hermes from successfully carrying the "damsel in distress" in. Bits of wood are pelted at them from above, but they don't move. Their heads are too thick to feel the pain, I assume.

"Thirty seconds!" Odysseus calls.

"Apollo!" Hermes shouts, "Do some of that magical fire voodoo!"

"Are you kidding?!" I cry, "I'd burn down the whole camp!"

_"TEN SECONDS!"_

"You only live once," I mutter, doing my best to create a reasonably-sized ball of fire. It grows until it's about the size of a beach ball, and then I chuck it at Theseus, Morpheus, and Iolaus. They scatter, and Hermes bolts through the hole in the wall just before the dummy explodes. Odysseus blows his whistle.

"Heroes win!" He announces. Theseus glares at us. Villains vs. Heroes is always fun, except when Theseus is the villain. "Heroes, you let it get too close. You waited too long to start. Villains, never let your guard down. You chased after the decoys; Dionysus and Achilles, and when Hermes stole the dummy there was no one guarding it." Odysseus dismisses us to go to lunch, but Theseus, Castor, Pollux, Bellerophon, Morpheus, and Iolaus step in front of us.

"Like it?" Theseus asks, jerking his head towards the contraption. We mumble our replies. "Which one of you wants to see how it works?" No one moves. "Fine, then. I'll just choose." Theseus grabs Achilles by the back of his shirt and carries him like he's a tiny puppy over to the machine. "This, ladies and gentleman, is the world's first wedgie machine." He puts Achilles in what I took to be the noose, and the middle rope sits in an incredibly uncomfortable position. He then pulls a lever, and the wheels on either end start to turn, hoisting Achilles in the air.

"That's gotta hurt," Jason mutters, cringing. Achilles, however, appears perfectly fine.

"Why isn't it working?" Castor asks.

"99% immortal!" Achilles calls, "That includes my penis!"

"Does it include your pride?" Theseus replies, beginning to back away with his group of thugs.

"What do you mean?" Achilles demands.

"Have fun staying there overnight!" Bellerophon shouts, jingling a set of keys, "It'll only let you down if we unlock it!" Realization and horror dawn on Achilles's face. He looks at us, desperate.

"Sorry dude," Ares says, barely able to hide his laughter, "nothing we can do."

"Well, actually," I begin, "we could-"

"Shut up!" Ares hisses, elbowing me. I raise my eyebrows.

"How is this at all funny?" I ask him.

"How is it _not_ funny?" He replies.

"This is _beyond_ embarrassing!" Achilles shouts.

"Sorry, but we're gonna be late for lunch," Perseus says, starting to walk off.

"Guys, we could just cut the ropes. It would take about five seconds," I reason.

"Well, yes, but this is hilarious," Hephaestus argues. I roll my eyes and turn to Ares.

"Give me your sword, arrows aren't gonna be able to cut this thing," I explain.

"Dude, no way!" He replies.

"Here, use mine," Dionysus offers, handing me his sword.

"Thank you," I reply, glaring pointedly at Ares, "since you actually care about your friends, unlike _some people_." I walk over to the wedgie machine and saw through the ropes. Achilles comes plummeting towards the Earth and hits the ground with a sickening thud, then gets up and brushes himself off like he landed on a trampoline covered in pillows, not the rocky ground outside Cabin 18.

"Well," He says, "that was...interesting. What's for lunch?" And with that, we head towards the pavillion to find out.

"Hey, look! Mail's here!" Perseus announces when we walk in. Iris delivers mail once a week to training camp, but she doesn't have a set day. She just comes when she wants to. Gods and goddesses don't usually get mail, just the occasional "How are things?" from Dad. Only the nymphs actually get any, and occasionally the heroes, although they've never met their relatives. But we look through the pile anyway, just in case. As usual, I don't see anything for any of us. Just as I'm about to head over to our table, a shiny, golden envelope catches my eye.

"Hermes!" I call, "This one's for you!"

"Really?" He replies, furrowing his brow, "Who's it from?" I search for the return address, but it isn't there.

"Don't know," I answer, shrugging. He takes it and opens it up, pulling out a thick, folded letter. He unfolds it and scans the page.

"Well?" I prompt, "What does it say?"

"Um...," He mutters, his face turning read, "I, um, I can't tell. Wanna have a look?" He hands it over to me. As my eyes race down the page, they grow wider in disbelief.

"What?!" He demands, "What happened? Who's it from? What does it say?!"

"It's from Brightwood," I tell him. "Hermes, this is an acceptance letter. You got in!" His eyes grow wide as dinner plates.

"What? But I fell! That's not possible!" He argues, "Maybe it got lost in the mail."

"Nope," I reply, "That's definitely your name. Either that, or I'm crazy." I hand it over to him and point to the top.

_Dear Hermes,_

_We are delighted to inform you that you have been accepted into Brightwood Academy. You would make an excellent addition to our student body.. Term begins September 1. Please supply your own equipment and horse. Board, feed, and medical assistance is available at Brightwood. We hope to see you this year._

_Yours Truly,_

_Alder Bracken_

_Headmaster_

_Brightwood Academy_

_**Artemis**_

I've just sat down at my table and am about to start lunch when Hermes comes running over (successfully knocking over at least five people), waving a piece of thick, yellow paper.

"Artemis!" He shouts, "Artemis, look!" He shoves the paper in front of my face. "It's from Brightwood!" He tells me, as if that isn't printed clearly on the page, "I got in!" I stare at the letter in disbelief.

"Wow!" I muster, "That's...great!" I try to be happy for him, I really do. He's had a totally shitty year and he really deserves this. But I really thought I had it. I'd ridden my best (or so I thought) in every section. But it still wasn't enough. It's never enough to beat Hermes. Some people are just...annoyingly good at stuff.

"Hey, Artemis! What's up? What are you doing? What's going on? How's your day been? Tell me everything." I groan inwardly. Daphne has been following me around since I got here. She's nice, I guess. But she literally won't leave me alone. "Oh, by the way, nice shot in archery today. That target didn't stand a chance."

"Um, thanks," I mutter, "you did a good job, too."

"OMG! Do you really think so?!" She squeals, "That means so much. Maybe you could give me some pointers later!"

"Oh, uh, I guess-"

"Awesome! See you later, bestie!" Daphne squeezes me tightly then runs off. Hermes raises his eyebrows.

"Bestie?" He questions.

"Shut up," I mutter, "I didn't ask for a puppy."

"I say you take her to that archery lesson, and then you 'accidentally' shoot her in the head," He suggests, putting air quotes around "accidentally". "Then she can find Orion in the underworld and they can both bond over the fact that they were killed by someone they thought to be their friend." I smack him across the arm.

"And if you don't shut up, you can join them," I warn.

"Not if I can help it!" He wraps his arms around my stomach and starts tickling me. I wriggle in his arms, shrieking with laughter.

"Stop!" I gasp, "Hermes! Put me down!"

"Promise not to kill me!" He orders, still tickling.

"Ok, okay, I promise!" I giggle.

"Good," He replies, turning me around in his arms so I'm facing him. Our eyes lock for a moment. All the memories of the happy times spent together come rushing back to me, and I break from his arms and turn away before I burst into tears.

"I, um, I have to go," I mumble. As I rush from the pavilion, I catch sight of the dark-haired girl who always eats alone watching me intently, before her eyes flick back to Hermes. Good. Hermes has another girl, and I've got...me. And I'm just fine. This is how I was meant to be. Alone. But I'm not alone. I've got my bow and arrows, the vast, wide-open forest, and the animals that I love. I'm just fine without him.

How long can I lie to myself? I tell these things to myself to keep me from breaking down. To remind me of who I was and who I'm meant to be. But they're not the truth. I, Artemis, virgin goddess of the hunt, was in love.

No.

I'm _still_ in love.

_**Jane**_

It's ridiculous. It is. I know how dangerous people are. I know not to let them get to me. I know to keep my guard up. It's a strong guard, one I've built up over the years of mistreatment and depression. My walls were seemingly unbreakable. But he penetrated them so easily. And I think I...I think I might actually like him.

I sigh and place my head in my hands, watching him laugh and joke with his friends. How does he do it? After he's faced what he's faced, how does he smile and laugh like he's normal? I wish I could do that. I want to do that. But I don't know how. I've never been happy. I've never known anyone with a good heart, I've never had anything to be happy about. But he could teach me. He could show me the side of the world I've never seen before. I just have to let him. Knowing me, that's not going to be easy. I call myself strong, I say that I push people away because I know too much. But I'm not strong. I'm scared. I'm scared to let people into my heart. Once they're in there, they can break it far too easily.

I can't believe I'm admitting this to myself, but he's actually kind of cute. The girls in my cabin gush and drool over men, and I just roll my eyes, thinking how weak they must be to let these men enamour them. But now I get it. When a boy walks in and catches your heart, it's the best and worst feeling ever. On one hand, you feel all bubbly and excited. On the other hand, what if he doesn't like you back? He could pick you up and swirl you in his arms with the greatest care, pressing his lips to yours with love and desire. Or he could take your heart and stomp on it, all the while laughing maniacally. And I've felt too much of the second option.

But _oh my gods_ look at those eyes. Look at the way they sparkle when he laughs, look at that mischievous glint they never lose. Look at that adorable lopsided smile. Look at the way he flips his hair out of his eyes. Look at how his hat falls over one of his eyes. And look at that irritated look he gets whenever the muscular one with the mohawk says anything.

This is ridiculous. I barely even know him. And I'm lucky if he even wants to be friends, let alone more than friends. Because honestly, who wants to be friends with _me_?

No one.


	6. Chapter 6: Jasephone

**Here's chapter 6! My bat mitzvah was last night, so I couldn't get it up then. Please review, I'll post the next chapter as soon as I get two! Enjoy!**

**AngelicVampireGirl: Thank you so much! My Bat Mitzvah was awesome, I had a great time! I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for reviewing!**

**ArtyMoonSon: I had a great time at my Bat Mitzvah! I would love to have a wedgie machine, too. The oldest campers at the camp my dad went to had one. That's where I got the idea. Thanks for reviewing, that was so nice of you to say! **

**M'n'Mzutarians 4ever: I don't really know how to help you with your crush, I've never really had a crush on a boy or had a boyfriend. I'm 13, so it's a bit early, at least for me. Keep on keepin' on! Thanks for reviewing!**

* * *

_**Apollo**_

"What do you think this is?" Ares asks, holding up the lump of clay he'd been fiddling with. Hephaestus makes a gagging noise.

"That's _awful_!" He cries, holding up his perfectly sculpted clay sailing ship, complete with at least ten different sails. "I mean, even for you, that's a new low." Ares pounds it against the table and fiddles with it some more, before holding it up again.

"There!" He announces, "Now it's a penis!" Hephaestus buries his face in his hands, shaking his head.

"I made a...a...a rock!" Hermes tells us, holding up a lump of clay. I have to admit, it does look like a rock. Suddenly, Jason, who's been oddly silent for his whole life, looks up and says something.

"What do you think of Persephone?" He asks randomly.

"Ooooh, someone's got a crush!" Achilles teases, sounding like a ten-year-old girl.

"I don't have a crush," Jason denies indignantly, "I just want to know what you think of her."

"Because you like her," Achilles adds.

"I do not like her!" Jason argues.

"OK, first of all, you totally like her," Ares begins. Jason blushes bright red. "Second of all, do you know about Persephone?" Jason looks confused.

"No," He admits, furrowing his brow. Ares shares a wide-eyed, knowing look with us.

"Really?" Hermes questions, "You have _no_ idea? Nothing? Zero? Zilch?"

"Um, I don't know what you're talking about," Jason mutters.

"So you have _no_ idea why we have Winter every year?" I press.

"No," He answers, stretching out the word in confusion. Hermes raises his eyebrows and shrugs.

"Oh," He says, "well, then, you're her perfect match."

_**Artemis**_

I curve my body over my leg and rest my head on my knee. The dance floor beneath me is clean and smooth, making the whole pristine dance studio seem serene. I'm not the best dancer, but I'm nimble and flexible, so I'm not the worst. Beside me, Persephone's pointe shoes tap across the floor. I cringe just imagining the pain she's in, happy I'm not good enough for pointe. Persephone lifts her leg behind her in a beautiful arabesque. The door creaks open, and the dark-haired girl who'd been staring at Hermes yesterday walks in. Without a word, she sets her bag on the floor and starts stretching on the other end of the studio. I look her over. She's pretty, I guess. Her dark brown hair falls to her shoulders in waves. Her skin is pale and her lips bright against it. Her eyes are a pretty hazel color. She's pretty. I hope Hermes is really happy with her.

Scratch that.

Persephone does a pretty leap, lands beautifully, then sits down with the other girls.

"I have something to tell you," She whispers excitedly. The dark-haired girl, I think her name is Jane, lifts her head and watches us intently.

"What?!" Coral demands. Persephone presses her finger to her lips and orders Coral to be quiet, giggling.

"OMG, it's a guy, isn't it?" Aphrodite squeals. I roll my eyes but lean my head in closer. Persephone nods, her excited, secretive grin growing wider. "Who?" Aphrodite demands.

"Jason," Persephone whispers. Aphrodite shrieks.

"OMG, I could totally see that. You two would be perfect together!" She exclaims. Coral quirks an eyebrow.

"I don't know," She muses, "I can't see it."

"Jason is the curly one, right? The one that doesn't talk?" We all jump at an unfamiliar voice. "Well? Anyone gonna answer? I don't bite." It's Jane. She sits down beside us, tying on her pointe shoes.

"Yup, that's him," Persephone finally says. Jane is silent and expressionless for a moment, before finally smiling.

"Yeah, I could definitely see that." And with that, Jane was accepted into our group.

_**Jane**_

The redheaded girl smiles at me. It feels good. I've never had a friend. They continue to talk about Jason and the redhead. They would make a very cute couple, but I'm not really listening to their conversation. I'm relishing in the feeling of acceptance. And I think to myself,_ Yeah, Hermes was right. All I had to do was try_. Trying has proved to work. So does that mean that all I have to do is try to get him to like me back? Because I really, really, think I like him. Wait. Cross "think" out of that sentence. Reread.

Yeah.

"...I really hope he asks me to the start-of-camp dance!" Persephone, the redhead, squeals. "What about you, Jane? Do you like anyone?" I blush and squirm uncomfortably.

"Oh, no," I mutter.

"Come on!" Persephone begs, "There has to be _someone_."

"Well, there is," I admit, "but he'd never like me back."

"So, what?" Aphrodite cuts in, "Honey, if you like a guy, you can't wait for him to come to you. Make him come to you."

"Besides, you don't know that he'd never like you," Persephone points out, "you just think that. Tell us who it is, and we can tell you what we think! I mean, if it's one of the boys in our year, we probably know him better than you. No offense." I sigh and blush furiously.

"It's Hermes," I admit. The room goes silent. Artemis's eyes widen. "What?" I demand, "What's wrong with Hermes?"

"Well, for one thing, he's my ex," Coral says.

"And mine," Persephone adds.

"Mine too," Artemis puts in.

"And for another thing, he's kind of...messed up," Athena explains. I shrug.

"I know. So am I," I tell them. That doesn't upset me, and I only sort of care how many exes he has. I just _really_ want to be loved. The horn sounds, calling us to our next activity. Dance was more of a gossip session than a class. As I'm heading out the door, Artemis stops me.

"Go for it," She says, "I only broke up with him because I swore to never fall in love. He's a great guy. He dated Persephone because he felt bad for her, and Coral because she manipulated him with that cheerleading skirt of hers. He deserves to be happy. And you could definitely make him happy."


	7. Chapter 7: The Great Date Race

**Here's chapter 7! I'm so sorry it took me so long to post. I had a ton of homework and I kept forgetting about it. Sorry! Anyway, here it is! Please review! I'll post the next chapter when I get two reviews!**

**ArtyMoonSon: Thanks for leaving such a nice review! I'm introducing Daphne to Apollo in this chapter, so you'll find out what happens with them. There's a lot of pairings in this chapter, so I don't want to give away too much. Thanks for reviewing! Enjoy!**

**M'n'Mzutarians 4ever: Thank you for such a nice review! Hermes and Artemis get back together...in the third book. Sorry! Thanks for the review! **

* * *

_**Hermes**_

"Alright, dudes, we have ourselves a problem," Ares announces, walking into the cabin. I stop doodling disturbing things above Apollo's bed and sit up.

"Is it your hygienic habits?" I guess, "Cause those are terrible. The whole cabin smells like urine mixed with fart, and that odor originates from you. See, there's this thing called soap-" Ares cuts me off.

"First of all, gross, no way am I using soap," He begins, "second of all, our problem is: the start-of-camp dance is in three days, and none of us have dates."

"I have a date," Dionysus points out. Hephaestus smiles and nods.

"Okay, well, you don't count, Sparkles McGay," Ares replies.

"It's a beautiful day in the-"

"Can we _not_ make the gayborhood joke?" Hephaestus cuts me off.

"No," I answer. "It's a beautiful day in the gayborhood, and all the gays are out to play!" Hephaestus groans.

"Anyway," Ares draws attention back to the matter at hand, "this is serious. Do you have any idea how humiliating it'll be if we all show up single?"

"I don't think it'll be that big of a deal," Achilles replies.

"Do you want to spend another night on Theseus's wedgie machine?" Ares reminds him, "Didn't think so. And you're going to be the biggest loser at camp if you show up dateless."

"Lots of people go alone these days," Achilles argues. "Welcome to the 8th century BCE, Ares."

"Dude, this is the start-of-camp dance," Ares reminds us, "it determines your social status for, like, the rest of summer."

"It's funny that you should be so vehement on getting a date, when we could all easily get one before you," Apollo points out, "with the way you've fucked up your love life."

"Remember, you're girlfriend dumped you for me," Ares points out.

"Not_ for_ you," Apollo denies, rolling his eyes, "_because of_ you."

"Whatever," Ares replies, waving his hand dismissively, "same thing. Point is; I could get a date way before any of you dweebs."

"Why don't you put your money where your mouth is?" Apollo challenges, "You against the rest of the cabin. If one of us gets a date before you, you have to use soap. Thoroughly. And if you win, we won't make you shower for a week." Ares smiles wickedly.

"You're on."

_**Ares**_

I've got a big decision on my hands. I could ask Hestia to the dance, I like her more and want to patch up our relationship in any way I can. But she might say no, which would be the most humiliating thing ever. My other option would be Aphrodite, who's definitely beautiful and would definitely say yes. I just don't know if I like her that much. But I need to get a date fast, or else I have to use...soap. Gross.

_**Artemis**_

I pull the bowstring taught, aiming it at the center of the target. Then I release and let it fly. It hits the red, center circle and pushes through, burying itself halfway in the target.

"Wow, Artemis! Nice shot!" Daphne cheers. I groan. She's like a female version of Orion. She's totally obsessed with me and won't leave me alone. "Am I doing this right?" She pulls back her bow and lets her arrow fly. It hits the second circle, just shy of a bullseye. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Apollo firing flaming arrows on the other side of the shooting range.

"You know, Daphne, my brother is a pretty good archer, too. Why don't you go ask him? I'm kind of busy," I suggest. Daphne's ever-present smile falters.

"Oh," She mutters, "okay."

_**Apollo**_

I'm just about to let my arrow loose when someone comes up behind me.

"Hi!" A girl's voice, perky and excited, greets me. I drop my bow and whirl around, shocked at the sight before me. A gorgeous girl with long, honey-colored curls and bright, happy blue eyes, smiles at me. My eyes widen. I don't even realize I'm staring at her until she gives me a weird look. "Um, I said, 'hi'," She reminds me, "are you mute?" I give my head a quick shake.

"No, I'm not mute. Um, hi. I'm Apollo, uh, who are you?" I fumble.

"Daphne," She replies slowly, "Artemis told me you could give me some archery pointers." I hardly hear her, I'm lost in her bright blue eyes. "Hello! Earth to Apollo!" She waves her hand in front of my face.

"Huh? Oh, sorry. What do you need again?" I mutter, blushing furiously. Smooth, I think to myself, real smooth.

"Artemis said you could help me with archery." She mimes out every word and speaks slowly, as if I don't speak English.

"Oh, sure. What do you need help with?" I ask. In response, she pulls back her bow and shoots. Her arrow finds the second-innermost ring and buries itself there. "That's great!" I commend her.

"I can't hit the bullseye," She complains.

"Well, let's see what you're doing wrong," I reply. She draws her bow, and immediately I see her problem. "Your elbow is way up in the air. Push it down so it makes a horizontal line with the rest of your arm." I instruct. She nods and obeys, furrowing her brow in concentration. "Great. Now, release." She lets go of the bowstring, and the arrow flies, straight and true, to the center of the target. It hits the bullseye perfectly. She squeals in excitement, jumping up and down.

"OMG! I hit it! You are _amazing_," She tells me, throwing her arms around me before releasing me and running back over to Artemis. That's right, I'm amazing.

Ares is going down.

_**Hermes**_

_Alright, now. While she's alone_. What am I saying, she's always alone! _Just go ask her! What's the worst she's going to say?_ No. _She won't say no. Besides, you don't even like her like that. Just ask her as friends._ What if she likes me like that? _That sucks for her._ This is stupid. Who even has arguments with themselves? I'm just gonna go ask her.

Taking a deep breath, I start walking towards Jane. Asking Persephone to the school dance wasn't nearly this hard. Maybe that was because she asked me.

"Um, Jane?" She whirls around, dark waves flying.

"Oh. Hey, Hermes. What's up?" She flicks her hair smoothly off her shoulder.

"Uh, um, I, uh," I flounder, "I was wondering if, um, if you had a date for the dance yet?" Her face brightens for a moment before going back to it's usual depressing expression.

"Please, who would ask me?" She replies, "I'm Insane Jane, remember?"

"Oh, right, well, um, I don't either, so, I, um, I was wondering if you, um, if you maybe wanted to go, uh, with me," I mumble. "Just as friends!"

"Oh," She says, sounding slightly disappointed, "well, OK, sure. I'd love to." She actually _smiles_ at me, before waving goodbye and sauntering off.

_**Apollo**_

I sit down at my place in the pavillion and survey the area for Daphne. There is no way I'm letting Ares not shower for an entire week. He (and the whole cabin) smells bad enough as it is.

"Apollo!" Hermes shouts, zipping over to me. "Apollo, I got a date!" I give him a high-five ('cause that's what bros do, bro).

"Sweet! Who is it?" I ask.

"Jane Belmont," He replies.

"Who?" I question, not recognizing the name. Just then, Achilles walks over, with Jason behind him.

"What's this about Insane Jane?" He asks, "Hermes, don't tell me you asked her to the dance."

"Just as friends," He assures us. Achilles's mouth drops open.

"_Jane?_" He demands, "Why did you have to ask _Jane_? Why not...oh, I don't know, Apollo!" Hermes and I share a frustrated look.

"_We're not gay!_" We exclaim in unison.

"Whatever you say," Achilles mutters.

"Look!" Jason cries, pointing. We look over to see Ares approaching Aphrodite. Hermes smirks.

"That is so not happening," He mutters mischievously, before waving his hands wildly in the air.

"What're you doing?" I ask.

"Um, duh, magical pranking powers," He explains, as if this is obvious.

"I don't think those exist, Herm," I tell him.

"Oh, they exist," He replies. He snaps his fingers, and a giant tub of pink goo mixed with confetti hearts appears in his arms.

Wow. I guess they do exist.

_**Hestia**_

It's not weird. Loads of girls ask boys. I mean, this is the 8th century BCE. Shouldn't we be advanced enough as a civilization for this? Yes, we should. And we are. So, I'll just ask him. It's not weird.

Oh, gods. It's weird.

No. No, it's not weird. Gods, why is this so hard? We were so happy together! Why can't we still have that? We can. I just need to ask him. Now. Three, two, one, go. Nope, I'm still here. Alright, this time I'm doing it. Three, two, one.

I start walking towards Ares, plastering a smile on my face. Just as I'm about three feet away from him, He turns around and starts talking to someone else. Oh my gods. It's Aphrodite. Oh no, he's asking her to the dance! No, it doesn't matter to you, he's a douche, I remind myself, don't cry. Not here, not now. Despite myself, I feel hot tears pricking in my eyes.

Why doesn't he see? Why doesn't he see that I love him? I'm ready to forgive him, I'm ready to start fresh. But he doesn't want me anymore. I'm alone.

* * *

"Aphrodite!" Her golden curls fly in a halo around her head as she turns to reply. Her blue eyes sparkle, her red lips shine. Even though I've told myself I'm over her and I'm only doing this for the bet, her beauty is breathtaking.

"Yes?" She says sweetly, batting her eyelashes seductively.

"You look nice today." I've learned to butter her up before I ask her for anything.

"Well, thanks. Don't I always?"

"Sure. Anyway, um, I was thinking-" But before I can finish, I feel something cold, wet, and sticky pour down over my head. I reach up to touch it, and my fingers come back pink and slimy. Oh, gross. Little shiny confetti hearts decorate my body, my face is covered in pink goop. Aphrodite is smirking at me, and behind me I hear laughter that I recognize all too well.

_"HERMES!"_

_**Hermes**_

_How to Annoy Ares_

_Written by...someone (not me)_

_Embarras him in frunt of Aphrodite_

_Embarras him in frunt of a large krowd_

_Do both one and too_

_Run._

Now is about the time for step four...

_**Ares**_

Hermes takes off, ripping through the pavilion and knocking over three tables. I start to run after him before realizing it's no use, with that damn super-speed of his. But he has to come back to the cabin at some point...

"Ares?" Aphrodite taps me on my pink-slime-covered shoulder.

"What?" I snap irritably.

"I'll go to the dance with you, if that's what you were asking," She says.

"Oh," I reply, "okay. Thanks." She waves at me girlishly, wiggling three fingers and then running off. Despite the fact that I look like Valentine's Day threw up on me, a smile spreads across my face. There's nothing like a date with Aphrodite. But my high spirits come crashing down when I turn and see Hestia pushing through the crowd and running towards her cabin, her face buried in her hands.

_**Apollo**_

Ares glances at me desperately. We both saw Hestia run off, tears pouring down her face.

"What am I gonna do?" He asks, sitting down at our table and wiping slime off his face. I shrug.

"How should I know?" I reply.

"I just- I thought she hated me. If I'd known she still likes me, then I would've asked her. I just wanted to win this stupid bet. Which, by the way, I did," He points out, "Aphrodite said yes."

"No, you didn't," Achilles informs him, "Hermes won. He asked Insane Jane." Ares groans.

"Does this mean I have to...," He trails off and motions with his hands, not willing to say the word.

"Don't worry," I assure him, "we'll help you through it." Ares sighs and puts his head in his hands.

"I don't even care about the bet," He groans, "I just need to talk to Hestia."

"Dude, you think she'll listen to you now?" Dionysus points out.

"And what would you know about girls, Sparkles?" Ares shoots back. Dionysus throws his hands up.

"Just saying," He replies. Ares groans again.

"You're probably right," He mutters. Then he looks to me. "Can you talk to her for me? Tell her I'm sorry?"

"What?" I exclaim, "Why me?"

"I don't know, cause you're a good person and shit," He answers.

"Fine," I sigh, "I'll patch up your love life for you." I leave the pavillion and chase after Hestia. It's a good thing I went after her, because when I find her out on the lakeshore, she's surrounded by fire. I quickly wade through it and sit down beside her, putting an arm over her shoulder. She doesn't say anything, just buries her face in my shirt and sobs. "It's okay," I tell her, "it's okay."

"It sucks to be cheated on," She mumbles into my shirt.

"I know," I tell her, "Athena cheated on me, too, remember?"

"Yeah, with Ares," She points out. "I just- I thought he liked me! And I was mad at him, but I'm ready to forgive him now. I guess he just doesn't want me anymore."

"Listen, Hestia, that's not it-"

"It's because of her. Aphrodite. She's so pretty, and flirty, and seductive. Maybe if I was more like her, he'd like me. Maybe if I was thinner-"

"Hestia, stop!" I demand, cutting her off, "I went down that road with Artemis. It's not a pretty one. Look at me." She lifts her tear-stained face off my chest and looks me in the eye, sad features drooping pathetically. "You're beautiful. Any guy would be lucky to have you. You're perfectly thin, you don't need to lose weight at all. You're the nicest person I've ever met. Did Aphrodite tell Theseus to stop picking on Harpocrates? Did Aphrodite single-handedly save the school musical? I don't think so. You're perfect just the way you are. Don't ever try to be anything else." The corners of her mouth lift up in a small smile. She flops her head back onto my chest.

"Sing me something," She says quietly, her eyes closing, tears still leaking slowly out of them. I smile.

"Sure."

Her head still lays on my chest when I finish singing. Her eyes are closed and her breathing is even. She's asleep. I run my fingers through her silky hair a few times, wiping the tears off her face with my free hand. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Ares walk in. He looks at us, her head on my chest and my fingers in her hair, and gives me one of his best death glares.

Shit. Gets. Real.

* * *

I walk into the cabin a few hours later, during common time. The other boys are already there. They're playing some card game that Hermes is clearly dominating (which makes me assume it's BS, because other games are too complicated for him to understand, and he's the god of lies so...). Ares jumps to his feet as soon as I walk in.

"Dude, what was that?!" He cries.

"What was what?" I defend, playing innocent.

"You know what," He hisses. "Back there. By the lake. When Hestia had her head on your shoulder, and you were petting her like she's some kind of dog! That's not what I meant by 'talk to her'!"

"Well, I'm sorry I did _your job_ wrong!" I exclaim.

"I asked you to tell her I was sorry, not cuddle with her like an elderly married couple!" He shouts.

"Well, maybe that's what she wants!" I counter, "Maybe she's tired of being ignored and cheated on! Maybe she wants a shoulder to cry on! Maybe she wants someone who actually cares about her!"

"I care about her!" He defends.

"Sure, you care about her," I scoff, "that's why you cheated on her. _Twice_. With _my girlfriend!_" He steps closer and grabs my shirt, pulling me closer to him.

"I love her," He snarls, "and she loves me. Not you, _me_. So _stay away from Hestia."_

_**Hestia**_

I try to remember the song Apollo sang me as I stand in front of the mirror._ Girl, you're amazing, just the way you are_. I lift my shirt and shake my head in disgust. I'm not amazing. I reach down and pinch my stomach with two of my fingers, feeling a big lump fat in my hands. I look up and examine my dull brown eyes, my boring, straight hair. Of course he wants Aphrodite. Thin Aphrodite. Blue-eyed Aphrodite. Curly-haired Aphrodite. Beautiful Aphrodite.

Boring, fat, ugly, wallflower Hestia.

Before I know it, I'm in the bathroom, kneeling in front of a toilet. I need to be thinner. That's all I can think about. Thinner, prettier, better. Synonyms. I gaze down at my reflection, the rippling water distorting my image. All I can see is the round face, the pudgy cheeks, the crinkles of fat near my eyes. I can't be that girl. Aphrodite isn't that girl. And Aphrodite has him. That girl- she disgusts me. She is me. But she _can't_ be me.

I plunge my fingers down my throat.

It's all for him.

_**Jason**_

Her red hair stands out like blazing fire against the white moon. Gods, she's so pretty. And if I don't ask her soon, somebody else is going to figure that out, too. Come to think of it, why hasn't anyone ever asked her? And what were the boys talking about yesterday? What does Persephone have to do with winter? You're just coming up with reasons not to ask her.

Before I can think about it, I'm walking up to her, trying to plan out what I'm going to say. I'm not the best conversationalist.

"Hi, Persephone!" I blurt out. Oh, Gods, now what do I do? She turns around, a blur of flying red locks.

"Oh! Hey, Jason!" She says, all smiles.

"Um, I, uh, hi! Um, I was just, um, thinking, uh, that, um, you...I, um, you look nice!" _Smooth_.

"Thanks!" _Now what?!_

"Uh, so, um, maybe, if you, uh, don't already have a, um, date, would you maybe like to, um, go to the dance with me?" I stammer.

"Sure! That'd be awesome!" She replies, flipping her red hair over her shoulder.

"O-ok, so, I guess I'll see you then," I tell her hastily, eager to end this conversation. She smiles warmly.

"Ok. Bye!"

I am never talking to someone one-on-one again in my life.


	8. Chapter 8:Dresses, Dances,& New Romances

**Here's chapter 8, finally! Sorry it took so long, I was waiting for a second review. As soon as I get two more, I'll post the next chapter! Please review, it makes my day! I, like, squeal and run around my house and scream with joy for several hours. Well...not actually, but I would if my family would stop sending me off to insane asylums. **

**TEAM-SHAKIRA: Thank you! That's so great to hear! Don't worry about Hestia, everything works out for her in the end! I'm so glad you liked it, thanks for the awesome review!**

**M'n'Mzutarians 4ever: Thanks for another awesome review! This chapter is all about the dance, so you'll find out who's going with who. I'm glad you liked it!**

* * *

_**Artemis**_

"You don't think this is too tight, do you?" I look up to see Aphrodite squeezed into a tight, sparkly pink tube dress.

"Yes," I reply honestly, "but I think Ares will love it." Aphrodite, never being particularly bright, smiles.

"You really think so?" She squeals, "Thanks! I'm _so_ excited for the dance!" Suddenly, we hear a sharp sigh, followed by the creak of a mattress. Hestia gets to her feet and storms out of the cabin, slamming the door shut behind her. We listen in silence to her footsteps until we can't hear them anymore. Aphrodite looks at us, her eyes portraying no understanding. "Was it something I said?" She asks stupidly, chewing her Barbie-pink lower lip in between her perfectly white teeth.

"Oh, no," Athena answers sarcastically, "It was someone _else_ talking about her ex that she's still in love with."

"Oh, good," Aphrodite sighs with relief, "I was worried she was mad at me." Athena and I share a disbelieving look. Coral and Persephone giggle behind their palms, and Aphrodite continues to examine herself in the mirror.

"You gonna be able to dance in those, 'Dite?" Coral asks, pointing to Aphrodite's six inch, rhinestone-covered, silver heels.

"Please," Aphrodite scoffs, "I could run a race in these."

"Are you planning on _winning_?" I interject, " 'Cause that's not happening." Just then, the door opens and Jane walks in. I brace myself for Daphne's entry. Since both Jane and Daphne were at beginner's sword-fighting, which goes half an hour longer than all the other activities, I assumed she'd be right behind. Jane walks silently to her bed and flops down with a sigh.

"What's up?" Athena asks.

"I have _nothing_ to wear to this stupid dance," She groans.

"Did Daphne come back from sword-fighting with you?" I ask nervously. Jane shakes her head.

"She ran off trying to avoid your brother," She tells me. I roll my eyes. Athena looks alarmed.

"Apollo?" She questions, as if I have _another_ brother. Jane nods.

"Uh-huh. She said he won't leave her alone," She tells us.

"Oh," Athena mutters, "I guess he moved on pretty fast." I shake my head.

"He wrote you about a million sad breakup songs," I inform her, "it was really depressing. For, like, a week, all I could hear were these sad guitar solos."

"Yeah, well, he's got Daphne to entertain him, now," She sighs.

"Not just Daphne," Coral interrupts, "I heard he and Ares had a huge fight last night," She tells us, "over _Hestia_." Aphrodite turns, her silver stilettos scraping the ground.

"Ares doesn't _care_ about Hestia," She says, perfect nose in the air, "he asked _me_ to the dance, not _her_."

_**Hermes**_

Despite the fact that they're complete polar opposites, Apollo and Ares have always been fairly close friends. Having them angry at each other is a first, and it's about as weird as if Dionysus was straight. Like, that would be _really_ weird. We're completely caught in between the two of them. They can't seem to talk about anything else but each other, and we just nod and say, "Uh-huh," and "Oh, yeah." Ares if furious that Apollo got so touchy-feely with Hestia, because, "I just wanted him to tell her I was sorry, not steal her from me!" And Apollo doesn't understand how Ares can be mad at him, considering "I was patching up his love life, and he has the nerve to tell me I did it wrong?!" And I'm like: Everyone calm the fuck down.

Hestia, for her part, is unaware of the love triangle...or, um, love _zig-zag_ she's caught in.

They both vie for her attention whenever she's around, trying to one-up each other in every activity. Ares breaks the record for most dragons slayed in one minute, Apollo breaks Artemis's record (which is pretty hard to do) for longest bullseye. Ares kills the monster first in monster fighting, Apollo disarms him in thirty seconds in sword fighting. It's an endless competition for the love of a girl who doesn't even know she's the prize.

"He's only going to hurt her!" Apollo tells me one night, "_I_ want what's best for her, and it's _not_ him."

"Uh-huh," I reply.

"_I_ loved her," Ares tells me one night, "and _she_ loves _me_. He just needs to back off."

"Uh-huh," I reply. But on the inside I'm like: How about a nice cup of _shut the fuck up. _

_**Hestia**_

"Aren't you going to eat anything?" Athena asks me. I look down at my plate and poke at my eggs. _No,_ I mentally reply, _because I need Ares, so I can't be fat._

"Sure," I reply, grabbing a forkful and shoving them in my mouth. I'll get rid of it later. I look at the other girls around me. Athena, whose bright brown eyes and gorgeous blonde locks make up for any body fat she has, and there isn't much, anyway. Coral, who has a six-pack and gorgeous, tan, toned arms and legs from cheerleading. Persephone, whose body is whip-thin and perfect from all that dancing. Artemis, who exercises constantly and has lovely, dark brown curls. And then there's Aphrodite. Aphrodite, with her perfectly tanned body, golden curls, bright blue eyes, ruby-red lips, and gorgeous figure. And me, with my pasty white skin. Me, with my mud-colored, stick-straight hair. Me, with my thunder-thighs. Me, with my almost completely flat chest.

Me. Fat, ugly, _fat fat fat._

"I'm not hungry," I mutter, getting up from the table and starting for our cabin. Tears pour down my face as I start to run. I wrap my arms self-consciously around my disgusting body.

"Hestia!" I hastily dry my tears with my sleeve before turning to face Apollo.

"Yeah?" I reply quietly.

"Listen, I know you love Ares and everything, but I was just thinking, maybe, you might want to go to the dance with me?" He asks. I look into his big, blue, hopeful eyes and find myself smiling. He may not be Ares, but he could be even better. Ares cheated on me. Ares broke my heart. Ares is the reason I hate myself.

"Yeah, I'd like that."

_**Jane**_

The night of the dance arrives, and I couldn't be more nervous. I've managed to find a dress in Aphrodite's trunk-full that went past the knee. I guess I look pretty. It's dark blue, decorated with rhinestones, so it looks like a starry night sky. The only problem is; what if Hermes doesn't _like_ starry night skies?

And I've never been to a dance before. I have no idea what to do! Sure, I know how to dance. But I don't think we'll be doing _ballet_. I have no idea how to partner dance. How could I? I've never had a partner! Aphrodite assures me that I won't have to think about it. If it's really meant to be, the right thing to do will just come right to my mind. She sounded kind of high, if you ask me, but that's the only advice I have to go on.

"What do you think?" I turn around to see Hestia swirling in a pretty dark green dress. Her long, thick hair is held back by a matching headband.

"OMG, you look, like, _fabulous_," Coral gushes. Hestia smiles so hard her face looks like it's going to explode.

"Do you really think so? Because I thought it might be a little tight-"

"What's wrong with tight? You look great," Coral assures her. Coral herself is wearing a short peach dress. Her blonde hair is arranged perfectly in a some-up-some-down. Her makeup is done perfectly. I wish I knew how to do makeup like the other girls. I just put on some chapstick and said I was done before I could turn myself into a clown with my less-than-experienced make-up skills.

Around me, the girls are a rainbow of color. Persephone's ice blue contrasts sharply with Coral's peach. Next to her, Artemis continues the array of color in purple, and Aphrodite's sequin-covered pink dress glints under the dull light-bulb. Athena wears a simple, floor-length, white dress, but it suits her. She looks like an angel, with her blonde hair swept up in a bun.

_**Hermes**_

"Does anyone know how to tie a tie?" I ask desperately. Dionysus looks up at me and sighs.

"Hermes, it doesn't go around your head," He groans.

"Really, I had no idea," I reply sarcastically. My wings struggle underneath the tie that I wrapped around my head, having no idea where to put it. I pull it off my head and drape it over my neck. "There. Is this how it goes?" Dionysus sighs again.

"Not exactly." He takes it and ties it on with ease. Tying a tie must be in the "How to be Gay" book, because Hephaestus doesn't seem to be having any trouble with it, either. The horn sounds, calling us all to the lakeshore for the dance. Jason is having a mini panic attack in the back of the cabin.

"What if she asks me a question?" He demands.

"Then you answer her," Achilles replies, giving Jason a weird look.

"What if I don't know what to say?" He cries.

"Wing it," Achilles instructs.

"Oh gods, I'm going to die," Jason groans.

"You'll be fine," Achilles assures him.

"I will _not_ be fine. I have a hard enough time talking to people who _aren't_ gorgeous!" Jason exclaims.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Achilles demands. Jason groans, but doesn't reply. Then we get to the lake shore, and there she is. She's gorgeous. Her dark hair circles her head as she turns around. Her red lips part in a smile and her eyes light up. She walks forward and grabs me by the hands, leading me out to dance.

_**Apollo**_

Hestia's head is on my shoulder, her arms wrapped around me, as we sway to the music. Her soft, chocolate locks fan out over my shoulder.

"You're beautiful," I whisper to her.

"No, I'm not," She replies.

_**Jane**_

"Are we going to dance?" He asks. I look at my shoes.

"I don't know how," I admit.

"It's easy," He replies, "put your hand here." I do as he says. "Great. Now, put your other hand here. And just sway."

"You don't know how to dance either."

"No idea." I laugh, smiling openly for the first time in years. He smiles back, a well-worn, happy, lopsided smile that lights up his whole face. And before I know it, I'm moving in, and he's moving in, and just as our lips are about to touch, he pulls back.

"I'm sorry," He mutters, "I'm really sorry. I just- I don't think I'm ready for that yet." I nod, my face burning.

"I get it. I, um, I'm just gonna go to the bathroom, OK?" He nods, and I pull away from his arms and start walking towards the bathroom. _Serves you right, Jane, _I reprimand myself_, you liked him too much. You thought too much of him. He's not your knight in shining armor. He's just a boy who maybe, just _maybe_, could've liked you. And now you've blown it._

_**Hestia**_

He tells me I'm beautiful, and I wish I could believe it. But I know I'm not, or else Ares would've asked me to the dance. Apollo isn't Ares, I remind myself, Apollo won't hurt you. I look up into his blue eyes, shining with happiness. And I think to myself, I need help! Help me! I feel like I'm screaming to the world, Fix me! But no one wants to.

"Apollo, I...," I trail off, wanting to tell him about what I've been doing, but not knowing if I should.

"What?" He asks.

"I...do you think I'm skinny?" I mutter, avoiding his eyes.

"I think you're perfect. I think you're amazing. I think you're everything I've ever wanted," He tells me.

"Thank you," I reply, my head moving in closer. He follows suit. My eyes close just as our lips meet, and I feel this amazing, happy warmth. A warmth that wasn't there with Ares. With Ares, whenever I kissed him, I felt this excitement. I was kissing the biggest badass in school. I was Ares's girlfriend. I felt like a daredevil, I felt exhilarated, I felt dangerous. But I never felt safe. And with Apollo, I know I'm safe. He's not the type to break a heart, he's not the type to cheat, he's not Ares. And I think I'm happy about that.

"Come with me," I tell him, grabbing his hand and leading him away from the dancers.

"Where are we going?" He asks, a million times. And I just shake my head. I lead him through the forest to a big oak tree. There's a ladder hanging down the side of it, and we climb up. It drops us in a big treehouse, complete with a big window looking out onto the entire camp.

"I found this my first year," I explain, "I've never shown it to anyone. It's always been my special place."

"And you brought me here," He muses.

"Yup," I reply, taking his hands and pulling him closer, our noses touching, "because you're special."

_**Jason**_

"You look beautiful." The words flow off my tongue easier than anything I've ever said in my life. Because it's true. Persephone, in her gorgeous ice blue dress, her red hair hanging in curls around her face, does look beautiful.

"Thanks!" She smiles, taking my hand and leading me out to dance. As we swirl around the grass, arms wrapped around each other, I've never felt so right. All thought of what the boys were talking about leave my mind. Who cares about Winter and whatever Persephone has to do with it? Right here, right now, that doesn't matter. Her red hair is draped over my shoulder, I can feel her breath on my neck. And I'm so happy.

I've always been the shy kid. The one that didn't talk, the one that didn't have any friends, the one that no one noticed. I was OK with that. I never spoke up, never did anything about it. I was lonely, but I was also shy. I didn't want to talk to people for fear I'd screw up. But Persephone pushed me out of my shell. She made me realize that if I want something, I can't always count on Achilles speak up for me. Sure, he's a great friend, but he can't fight all my battles. And I sure am glad I fought this one.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom. Be right back!" Persephone pulls away from me, all smiles. I wave to her, and as soon as she's gone, I feel a tap on my shoulder. Coral stands in front of me, smiling brightly.

"Do you want to dance?" She asks.

"I, um, I have a-"

"Date, I know. But she'll never find out," Coral promises me, winking seductively. "C'mon. Let me show you what you're missing."


	9. Chapter 9:Jason& the Great Love Triangle

**Here's chapter 9! Sorry I didn't get this up sooner, I was at a birthday party. I got ****_five _****awesome reviews, which I think is the most I've ever gotten for one chapter! WOOHOO! You guys are awesome! Please keep 'em coming! As soon as I get two more, I'll post the next chapter.**

**M'n'Mzutarians 4ever: Thanks for another awesome review! Glad you liked it!**

**ArtyMoonSon: No need to apologize, any reviews are welcome and I love getting them, whenever you can give them! You'll find out about Jason and Persephone in this chapter! Thanks for reviewing, your reviews are always so nice! **

**AngelicVampireGirl: Again, no need to apologize. I'm happy to get reviews whenever you can post them! There's more Apollo and Hestia in this chapter! That was such a nice review, and I loved reading it!**

**Disclaimer: The only thing I need to disclaim is the song "A Thousand Years". It belongs to Christina Perri. I am not Christina Perri, so the song is not mine. All rights go to her. **

* * *

_**Jason**_

I still haven't told Persephone. Coral hasn't either, she told me. But she keeps giving me these secretive, flirty smiles, so it's only a matter of time until Persephone figures out something's up. I would tell her what happened, that Coral pretty much forced me out to dance, except that's not the truth. I actually kind of liked dancing with Coral. She was so full of energy and happiness that it was hard not to like her. But I didn't like her as much as I liked Persephone...right?

"Jason!" Persephone comes running over and throws her arms around me. "I just wanted to thank you for taking me to the dance last night. I had a great time."

"Oh, uh, no problem. Me too," I reply, blushing. Well, I did have a great time. Just then, Coral walks by. She stops at the two of us, turning to Persephone.

"Hey, Carrot-Top," She says to Persephone, who looks at the ground, uncomfortable.

"Carrot-Top?" I question.

"That's just her name for me," Persephone mutters, fingering her red hair, "it's fine."

"Yeah, Curls, it's just a joke. Calm down," Coral tells me. "Carrots, you've got some eye-makeup from last night still on. You might want to go check that out."

"Oh," Persephone squeaks, blushing red as her hair, "okay. I'll be right back!" And with that, she runs off.

"What was wrong with her eyes?" I question Coral, "She looks fine!"

"Duh, I was just trying to get rid of her," Coral explains. "Get with the program, Curls."

"What?" I reply, "Why were you trying to get rid of her?"

"So that we had some alone time." She reaches up, twirling one of my curls in her fingers. "Here's the deal," She whispers in my ear. "Persephone's seems great. She's sweet, pretty, and oh-so-innocent. But good luck getting past first base with her. I know what a guy wants. I could give you so much more." With that, she gives me a seductive wink and a flirty wave, then saunters off.

* * *

"I want to do something special for her, but I don't know what," Apollo tells us, as we're seated on the floor of Cabin 14.

"Easy. Take off your shirt. Worked with Athena," Hermes suggests. Apollo glares at him.

"I'm serious," He replies. Hermes shrugs.

"Tomorrow's her birthday," Ares grunts, "write her a song. Tell her you love her. She loves that sappy, romantic shit."

"Thanks," Apollo says, sounding kind of disbelieving, "well, I'd better get started on that." He walks over to to his bed and sits down, only to shoot back up, an alarmed expression on his face. "_Ow_!" He cries, banging his head on the bottom of the bunk above him, "Who drew this picture of Hades and Professor Demeter having sex above my bed?!" Hermes smirks.

"Not me," He mutters, "I think it was Jason."

"What?!" I cry, "I didn't do it!"

"I know you didn't," Apollo groans, "it was Hermes."

"Was not!" Hermes argues.

"You know, I would try to get you back, but I need to write this song before tomorrow," Apollo relents. I zone out of the conversation and lean my head back against the wall. I could give you so much more. Coral's words linger in my mind. Do I want so much more? I don't know. I've never had sex, so I really don't know what I'm missing. Sure, Coral is really, really, really, really, really, hot. But she seemed kind of mean, trying to get rid of Persephone like that. I'm confused. Being the shy, quiet kid, I never really got much experience with girls, and now I'm counting my blessings. Like, what the f*ck? They act like they're friends, then they sneak around behind each other's backs and flirt with their friends's boyfriends. Jeez, what have I gotten myself into?

_**Hestia**_

I sit on the lake shore, waiting for Apollo. He asked me to meet him here after lunch, so where is he? Does he even know it's my birthday? Ares would've remembered. Ares would've made this the greatest birthday ever._ Give him a chance_, I reprimand myself.

"Hey!" I look up to see Apollo, standing on the dock, guitar in hand. I walk over to him.

"What's this?" I ask.

"I heard you sing at your audition for the musical," He tells me, "I thought you were really good. I wrote a song." He hands me a piece of sheet music. "For us."

_I have died_

_Every day_

_Waiting for you_

_Darling don't_

_Be afraid_

_I will love you_

_**For a thousand years**_

He plucks the last few strings on his guitar.

"Thank you," I whisper to him, "No one's ever made me feel so special." He presses his lips against mine, and there it is again, that warmth.

"I love you," He says. I look him in the eye. He's telling the truth. But I don't know if I can trust him. I trusted Ares, and he shattered my heart into a million pieces.

"That was a great song," I tell him, planting a kiss on his cheek before running off, face burning.

_**Artemis**_

"Welcome to Survival," Odysseus announces. "This is one of the toughest evening activities we have, but if you can make it, it's the most fun. Survival can only be played by those level ten and up, so if you're below level ten, please head to the campfire for a different activity." I smile to myself. This is the first year I'll get to stay. I've heard so many stories about Survival, good and bad. There are annoyed grumbles as people walk away, complaining about how they should be in level ten, and they could take any of us. I roll my eyes, relishing in Enyo's angry look and basking in the superiority. Sure, Enyo is Athena's nemesis, not mine. But that doesn't mean I like her...ugh. Enyo is the worst. "Good, I'm assuming all those remaining are level ten and up?" We nod. "Alright. Here are the rules: You will be grouped into one of three groups. Group one: Carnivores. You can kill anyone from any group. You need to find the water stations, but not the food. Group two: Omnivores. You can kill herbivores, but not carnivores. You need to find the water stations, and you can find the food stations for extra points. Group three: Herbivores. You are at the bottom of the food chain and cannot kill anyone. You may attack in self-defense, but if you are hit by a herbivore, you are not out. You need to find all of the water and food stations. Once you are in these groups, you will be given specially colored armor. Red for carnivores, yellow for omnivores, and green for herbivores. Each set of armor has white targets painted in different places, along with a point value. Your goal is to hit someone of a lower group on a target. It doesn't matter if you hit the bullseye, as long as you hit some part of the target. The point values only matter for the herbivores. For herbivores, this is how you gain points. Each of you will be given a card, and you are expected to keep score on that card. For omnivores and carnivores, you will gain points by hitting people on these targets. If you are hit, you are out of the game. You get two points for killing an omnivore, and one point for killing a herbivore. Omnivores, you may kill other omnivores. Carnivores, you are not invincible. You can be killed by the natural disasters. Campers on level fifteen, you are the natural disasters. Your armor is completely black with no targets. Natural disasters cannot win the game, and you do not get points. The only group you can kill is the carnivores, and you do this by hitting the targets. Remember, if you are hit by a herbivore, you are not out. However, the herbivore collects points for hitting you, so keep your guard up. The goal is not to be the last one standing, but to get the most points. Understand?" We all understand. "Great. Armor has been distributed randomly. You will each find a set under your seat. The color indicates your group. If you have any questions now and throughout the game, I can be found here, in the pavilion. You are allowed to be anywhere on campus that you would normally be allowed to be in, with the exception of the cabins. Please suit up, select a weapon, and get ready to play!" I reach under the bench and pull out a set of yellow armor. I shrug. Could be worse. Next to me, Athena smirks, holding up her red armor.

"You're going down," She tells me.

"Good luck with that," I scoff. I search around the room for other omnivores and grimace. We've got a terrible team. Jane, who just learned how to sword fight, Dionysus, who's handy with a sword but wouldn't hurt a fly, Hermes, who can throw a knife pretty well but is easily overwhelmed (thanks to his mom), Aphrodite, who'll probably hide in a bush and do makeup, Ariadne, who's a fairly good archer but possibly a slower runner than Apollo, Daphne, who makes so much noise she'll be out in two seconds, several older campers I don't recognize, and me. Apollo is a herbivore, but I know I can't count him out of the game. If he can find a good enough hiding spot, he could win the game just by shooting people from a bush. If we can get him out in the open, there's no way he could run fast enough to escape. Hephaestus, Hercules, and Ares are carnivores. I make a mental note to watch out for them. They're not particularly discreet, but they're strong and fast. As long as I can hear them coming, though, I'll be fine.

We leave the pavilion, finding others of our group and heading to hiding places. I'm completely alone, hiding under the sword fighting platform, when the whistle blows.

I draw my bow immediately and wait, crouched in the darkness. I get bored quickly, but decide to stay. If I crawl out and someone's there, they could kill me easily. Arrows are great, but they're no match for swords, at least up close.

"...I'm telling you, I saw someone come through here and hide under the platform!" I freeze.

"Theseus, you're insane. There's no one here." Oh, great. Theseus and Bellerophon.

"Let's just check. We're carnivores, what's the worst that could happen?"

"Some natural disaster could sneak up and get us?"

"Chill. You keep watch while I check under here."

"Yes sir." I shift noiselessly to the back of the pavilion and watch Theseus's big, ugly head swing down. He glances around, then straightens back up.

"You were right, there's no one here."

_**Hermes**_

I watch the exchange from my spot in a tree, marvelling at Theseus's idiocy. I know Artemis is under there, having watched her come and hide. But Theseus was too dumb to notice. Sucks to suck!

"_Achoo_!" I cringe.

"Did you hear that?" Theseus demands.

"Hear what?"

"Someone just sneezed."

"Did not. You're insane."

"I swear. I heard-"

"_Achoo_!"

"There!" Theseus cries, "There it is again! You must've heard it." I can only hope Bellerophon continues not to hear things and manages to convince Theseus he's insane. Artemis sneezes again.

"I heard it that time," Bellerophon whispers, edging closer to the platform. "Come on out, whoever you are," Bellerophon sings, "I know you're in there." He reaches his sword down and pokes around beneath the platform. Feeling nothing, he shrugs. "Huh, maybe I'm insane, too. There's nothing there, Theseus." I let out my breath, unaware that I'd been holding it.

"This place is just crawling with crazies, these days," Theseus jokes, as he and Bellerophon start walking away.

"Maybe we caught the disease from Herpes and his little girlfriend." The two chuckle, and I feel my blood boil. Before I can think about it, I draw a knife and drop from the tree.

"It's not contagious," I hiss. Theseus and Bellerophon whirl around, shocked expressions on their ugly faces. Theseus draws his sword, and motions for Bellerophon to do the same. I turn my longest knife in my hand, letting them know I'm not going down without a fight. I've taken enough from them. I'm not going to sit here and listen to them mock my mental disorder.

"You're going down, Herpes," Theseus warns.

"In you dreams," I scoff.

"Two against one," Bellerophon points out.

"I think I can manage," I reply. I feel in my pocket for my caduceus, which I smuggled into the game. I'm not particularly good at using it, but it's my best shot.

Theseus makes a stab at me, which I block with my knife. He makes another, and the fight continues. I don't make any stabs at him, just try to defend myself. I dodge, duck, and block, over and over again. Theseus is becoming increasingly frustrated.

"Help!" He orders Bellerophon. I tighten my grip on my caduceus. While I'm busy protecting my center target from Theseus, Bellerophon makes a stab at the one on my shoulder. Not really sure what I'm going to do, I whip out my caduceus and wave it wildly. A jet of blue light pours from the mouths of the snakes, wrapping itself around Bellerophon's sword and pulling it from his hand.

"Thanks!" I tell him, trading my knife for his sword and parrying Theseus's blow.

"Hey! No fair!" Bellerophon cries. I smirk, giving my caduceus another shake. This time, Bellerophon is met with red light that knocks him off his feet and pushes him away from Theseus and I.

"That's against the rules," Theseus claims.

"I don't remember Odysseus saying anything about it," I reply, swinging my sword down on top of his. He growls inhumanly, stabbing at my center target. I swing my caduceus, and a blue, iridescent bubble appears over the target. Theseus glares. He brings his sword up above his head, and I crouch beneath mine. Instead of hitting my sword, he brings his blade down upon my caduceus, knocking it out of my hand. As it hits the ground, the beams of red light holding Bellerophon to the ground and the bubble around my center target disappear. I look up at Theseus, who grins wickedly, then down at my unprotected armor, then up at Bellerophon, who charges at me. "_Shit_."

I do my best to protect myself with Bellerophon's sword, but I don't stand a chance against the two of them. Bellerophon has managed to wrestle a knife from by belt and makes stabs at the smaller targets on my arms, while Theseus goes for the center. Just as I think I'm done for, a silver arrow sails through the air and hits Theseus right on his center target.

"Huh?" _Bam_. Another arrow finds its mark on Bellerophon's helmet. More start falling, seemingly raining from the sky. Their distinct, moon-like glow makes it obvious who they belong to. Artemis is hidden in the darkness. Her silver arrows rain from different places, making it impossible to pinpoint her location. Bellerophon starts to run. "What are you doing?" Theseus cries.

"I'm getting out of here!" Bellerophon replies, "These things are sharp!"

"Suck it up, you've got armor!" I have to admit, Theseus is brave, if a little bit stupid. But hey, I can't really talk.

"Suit yourself." Artemis's voice floats out of the darkness, along with another arrow. I tuck Bellerophon's sword into my knife belt and aim a kick at Theseus, knocking him to the ground. Bellerophon has long since fled the scene. Theseus grabs me by the ankles, and we roll across the dirt. I struggle, knowing that I stand no chance on the ground. He's bigger, I'll be crushed. Kneeing him in the balls, I manage to free myself. Another arrow comes flying at us, but Theseus dodges it. Theseus jumps to his feet and approaches me, sword in hand. He tilts in on it's side, heading for my center target. I stare down at the blade, my mind flashing in between here and now, and the caves of Arcadia, so many months ago, when I watched my mother's blade advance toward my stomach. _No_, I think frantically to myself, _stop, that was ages ago, you're fine_. Still, visions of that night start to take over my brain. Theseus's knife looms closer, and I can't bring myself to block it. Everything is moving in slow motion and I can't stop thinking. I think I'm screaming but I'm not sure. I feel sick. Everytime I look up, Theseus's face shifts in between his and my mother's. Soon, reality is almost completely lost. I'm being swallowed by my vision. I don't know what's happening, I don't know where I am, I don't know what's real. And so I run. I run before the knife collides with my armor. The wind stings my cheeks, branches rip at my skin as I enter the forest. But I don't mind physical pain. I'm used to pain. Blood trickles down a scrape on my right arm. But I can't stop. I just run.

* * *

"...hasn't done that in years."

"Are you sure that's what happened?"

"I saw it with my own eyes. He came out of nowhere." I wake to muffled voices in a bright white room. Figures are blurred around me. I blink sleepily, the scene coming into focus. I'm in the infirmary. My head feels fuzzy. I reach up to touch it and am met by a searing pain and a flow of warmth. When I pull my fingers away, I see they're covered in blood.

"What happened?" I slur lazily. Artemis, Apollo, and Jane turn around.

"You hit a tree," Apollo tells me. "I didn't even see you. I was hiding in a different tree, and then all the sudden this blur comes out of nowhere and I hear this thud. And there you were, sprawled on the ground."

"I thought you outgrew running into trees," Artemis smirks.

"I thought 'mighty huntresses' don't sneeze while they're hiding," I shoot back.

"There was a lot of dust down there," She mutters.

"Yeah, and there were a lot of trees in the forest," I reply.

"Touché."

"Who won?" I ask.

"I did," Jane replies, "I hid inside our cabin until the game ended and everyone was dead." I decide not to point out that's against the rules. Someone calls Apollo from the other end of the infirmary, and he leaves.

"Um," Artemis mutters, "I'm just gonna go, um, help him do, uh, stuff." And with that, she leaves. Jane looks at me, an awkward silence filling the room. Then she sighs, exasperated.

"What is this?" She asks.

"Uh, it's the infirm-"

"I mean what is _this_." She motions to us. "What are we? Are we just friends? Are we more? I mean, you took me to the dance, so I thought you were, you know, feeling the same. But then you pulled away when I tried to kiss you, which was, like, the _most_ embarrassing thing that's ever happened to me. And then we kept dancing, so I just-" I press my lips against hers and cut her off.

"Jane, I really like you," I tell her, "but I'm scared. Life hasn't been so nice lately. I wasn't ready to trust someone like I trusted Artemis and my mom. But it's time to stop moping around, and start living. So," I take a deep breath, "Jane Belmont, will you be my girlfriend?" She smiles at me.

"Yes!"

* * *

Having a girlfriend is like being a peanut-butter sandwich that finally got it's jelly...except jelly is gross...so...um...

I'm bad at analogies, ok? It's like being a person that finally got a girlfriend. It's like...it's like...it's like being a pair of jeans that only had one leg and now it has two legs. Which is good, because if jeans only had one leg, you'd probably be arrested for indecent exposure.

Jane is around every corner, smiling. Her smile is gorgeous. I learn that she's an amazing dancer, and that there was a dance studio near her uncle's house. She took refuge there when life got too rough, and they taught her to dance.

I'm not the only one on the love train. We're in the middle of a game of badass tag (tag with deadly weapons...fun), and I really need to pee. And I'm in the forest, so I start walking around, trying to find a good spot. I peek around a tree, and there are Coral and Jason, making out.

"Oh," I mutter, putting my hands up and backing away, "I didn't see anything! Have fun!" Jason runs after me.

"Hermes!" He calls. I turn around. "_Please_ don't tell Persephone!"

"Tell her what?" I reply innocently.

"Great," He smiles, giving me a thumbs up.

"That you made out with the girl who's been trying to get in your pants since camp started even though you're dating Persephone?" I guess, "Is that what I'm not supposed to tell her? Or is it that you still sleep with a pacifier?"

"Neither," Jason groans.

"Neither?" I repeat, "So, what you're saying is, I'm not supposed to tell her neither of those things, so really, I should tell her both."

"Hermes!" Jason whines.

"What?" I reply, "You know, you have to be very clear with me. I'm not so smart." Jason rolls his eyes.

_"Do. Not. Tell. Persephone. I. Made. Out. With. Coral."_

"You _what_?!" Persephone shrieks. Jason whirls around to face the redhead. She looks him in the eye, heartbroken. "How could you?" She hisses, "I thought you were the one for me. I thought you were sweet, I thought you were adorable, I _loved_ you. Well, I was wrong. You're just like the rest of them! You're a pig! Why does every man I'm with either cheat on me or rape me? You too, Hermes! You kissed Artemis when we were still together!"

"I...," I stammer, "I was delusional due to the poison running through my veins?" She turns to Jason, tears running down her face.

"How could you?" She repeats, "You heartless pig!" She starts backing away, shaking her head at him. "Disgusting," She mutters, "you're absolutely _disgusting_. I hate you!" She turns and runs. Jason watches her until the last strand of red hair has disappeared from view.


	10. Chapter 10: How To Save Your Ex's Life

**Here's chapter 9! This would've been up yesterday, but I completely forgot. I have no excuses. Feel free to hunt me down with pitchforks. Except...please don't. I got ****_seven _****reviews, which is the most I've ever gotten for one chapter! You guys are ****_amazing! _****I'll post the next chapter as soon as I get two more reviews!**

**AngelicVampireGirl: Thank you so much! I was, like, freaking out reading your review. That's ****_soooo _****nice! As for Hermes and jane, you'll just have to wait and see. I don't care how long your reviews are, so no need to apologize, I just love getting them! Thanks sooo much!**

**ArtyMoonSon: Thank you! They don't ****_really _****kill each other in Survival. It's like when you play freeze dance and whoever doesn't freeze is "dead". They're not ****_really _****dead, but they're dead in the game. Thanks for the review!**

**Guest: Updated!**

**M'n'Mzutarians 4ever: Thank you! Jane is a mountain nymph, or an ****_oread._**** Fun fact: Her last name, "Belmont", means "Beautiful Mountain". Gald you liked it, thanks for the review!**

**TEAM-SHAKIRA: Thanks! Hades isn't really involved in this story, he's not at training camp and 99% of the story is set there. Sorry. Glad you liked it!**

**Unknown: I actually didn't know that! You learn something new everyday! Thank you sooo much!**

**Guest: OMG thank you! I bet you're just as good as I am, probably better. Still, that was really nice! Thank you!**

* * *

_**Apollo**_

Artemis says I'm crazy, which I probably am. But I just know something bad is going to happen tonight, and I can't manage to fall asleep. I sigh and roll onto my other side, the bunk bed squeaking obnoxiously. I've tried counting sheep, but there's a surprising _lack_ of sheep in Cabin 14. So I couldn't get past zero. Then I tried counting articles of clothing on the floor, but there are so many that I lost count. And it wasn't making me any sleepier. I just can't shake the feeling that something bad is going to happen.

That's when I hear rapid creaking coming from across the room, followed by strangled cries. Squinting through the darkness, I start walking over to Hermes. He's thrashing wildly, his arms hitting the wooden bed frame with sickening _thwacks_. I grab him by his wrists and pin him down, shaking him wildly. He jolts awake, tears streaming down his face. I sit down beside him and shake him some more, trying to snap him out of his trance. His eyes dart around the room, panicked, before his brain registers his surroundings. He presses his face into my shirt, sobbing.

"Apollo," He mutters, tears mangling his words.

"Yeah? It's okay. I'm right here, you're okay," I tell him, moving my hand in circles on my back. _Oh_, I think to myself, _I get it now. _This_ is why everyone thinks we're gay._

"I'm so scared," He says into my sleeve. "I want to forget it so badly. But I just can't. I'm afraid to sleep because of the nightmares. I'm terrible at sword-fighting because I'm afraid of the blades. I'm scared of everything, and I just want to be who I was."

"Listen," I reply, "no one here is going to hurt you. I know it's not this easy, but just remember that you're safe. We're all here for you." He continues to sob into my shirt. I don't tell him not to, because we all know he's entitled. I just keep rubbing his back and saying, "Shhh, it's okay," over and over, as if saying it can make it true. Last summer, I wouldn't have been sitting on Hermes's bed with him, trying to comfort him while he cries into my shirt. And if future me had told last-summer-me that, just a year later, I would be sitting on Hermes's bed with him, trying to comfort him while he cries into my shirt, I would've called myself crazy and gone back to sleep. Because Hermes is like a ball of somewhat-annoying-happiness and energy. Or, he was. Now, that ever-present light in his eyes has gone out.

"I'm so scared," He mutters, "I always tell myself I'm OK. But I'm not, Apollo. I'm not OK. I'm so scared, I need help, I'm not OK."

"Shhh, you're gonna be alright, you're safe here. No one's gonna hurt you," I promise him.

Eventually, his breathing evens out, and he falls asleep, still attached to my arm. I peel him off and push him back down into his bed, then climb back into my own.

Lives are strings. They stretch on for however long they're intended to. On the course of a string, one can do glorious things. Life is an amazing, action-packed adventure, yet it is only a string. And by simply snapping shut a pair of scissors, that string is severed. The fates need only decide to kill you. Life can be broken by a mere pair of scissors.

For some, the impending cut is ominous. They dread the day the string falls, and their eyes close forever. Life, for those people, is a never-ending smile.

Others can't wait for those scissors to close upon their string. Everyday is a tortuous twenty-four hours of pain. Life, for those people, is a wound that never heals.

When did Hermes become one of the second group? He was so happy, so full of exuberance and energy. He could bring a smile to anyone's face. He poured every ounce of his being into being happy and making others happy. It seemed, to him, that life just wasn't a big deal. He was a go-with-the-flow kind of person. Whatever happened, he just took it as it was and made the best of it.

What happened to my friend?

_**Artemis**_

I pull back my covers and am about to get in bed when I see the note.

_Go to the shooting range if you know what's good for you._

I feel my pulse start to quicken. There's no signature, I can't recognize the handwriting. Ever since Macey Malone, I've been more suspicious. _Calm down_, I tell myself, _this is_ training camp. _Who could possibly be here?_

"Arty? What are you doing?" Athena's voice reaches my ears through my panic. I realize I've been standing in front of my bed, hyperventilating, for the past two minutes.

"N-nothing," I stutter, not taking my eyes off the note, "I just- I think I dropped an arrow in the shooting range. I need to go get it." I shoulder my bow and quiver and head for the door.

"Get it tomorrow," Aphrodite slurs sleepily, "you're not supposed to be out this late."

"It's my lucky arrow," I tell her firmly, "I need it."

"Fine," She groans, "just don't wake the rest of us up when you come back." I ignore her and leave the cabin, running for the shooting range. There's no one out, so I slip under the radar easily. Yet I can't shake the feeling that I'm being watched.

I reach the shooting range and draw my bow, keeping it at the ready in my hands. I wait, my breathing the only thing I can hear. I don't know what I was expecting, but it isn't there. I'm alone. Whoever left that note was probably just playing a practical joke.

I start walking back, shouldering my bow and putting my arrow back in my quiver. I'm a little disappointed, having anticipated kicking some ass. How uneventful.

Thats when I feel myself knocked to the ground. My arms and feet are grabbed and a hand slides over my eyes. I start to struggle against the ropes tied over my ankles and wrists. A piece of cloth is shoved into my mouth, blocking out my screams. My bow and quiver are ripped from my back. I writhe on the ground, searching for some way to defend myself. But all hope is lost when a hand slams down over my head, and everything goes black.

_**Hermes**_

I sit down at my table in the pavilion, and immediately notice that something's off. My eyes scan the room. Everything appears to be in order. That's when I notice an empty space at the table in front of us. A space next to Athena that should be occupied by Artemis. Confused, I walk over to their table and tap Jane on the arm.

"Where's Artemis?" I ask. Jane furrows her brow and shrugs.

"Don't know. She went out really late last night to find her lucky arrow. I was asleep when she came back," She explains. Then, as an afterthought, "If she did."

"Weird," I mutter, "Artemis doesn't have a lucky arrow."

"Well, I guess she does now," Jane replies nonchalantly.

"I'll go look for her." Before Jane can reply, I take off. I've gone through the entire camp in a matter of seconds, and Artemis isn't anywhere. When I reach the pavilion, Odysseus is standing at the front of the room. He blows the horn for our attention.

"I would like to inform you that there were trespassers on campus last night," He announces. "A camper has gone missing." My blood runs cold. I grab Jane by the shoulders.

"Jane, think! What did she say before she left?" I demand. Jane furrows her brow.

"She said, ' I think I dropped an arrow in the shooting range. I need to go get it.'," Jane informs me.

"Oh, wow. That's helpful," I mutter sarcastically. "Um, alright. Can you bring all the girls to our cabin after breakfast?" I ask. Jane nods. "OK. We'll make a plan then."

* * *

"So, you're suggesting that we sneak off campus in _broad daylight_, try to find Artemis with_ no clues whatsoever_, and then, assuming we find her, sneak back on campus in _equally broad daylight_ and hope Odysseus doesn't realize the previously missing camper has reappeared along with the sixteen that went missing shortly afterwards?" I squirm uncomfortably, only then realizing how terrible my plan is.

"Yes," I admit. Ares rolls his eyes, muttering something that sounds like, "Utterly hopeless."

"Worth a shot," Dionysus says.

" 'Worth a shot'?!" Ares repeats, "It is most definitely not worth a shot! We have no clues, it's broad daylight, and Odysseus will kill us if he catches us. Remember last time? He trapped us in an arena with a minotaur."

"Well, what do you suggest we do?" Hephaestus replies.

"Leave her to her own devices. She's smart. She'll figure it out," Ares suggests. "Besides, what could they be doing to her that's so horrible?" As if on cue, Apollo drops to the floor, writhing and moaning in pain. I raise my eyebrows at Ares and gesture to Apollo.

"Remember what Dad told us about the web?" Athena reminds him, "Apollo and Artemis have the closest link of all of us. He feels almost everything she feels."

"Including period cramps? Dude, that sucks. That makes you, like, half girl," Ares says. Athena rolls her eyes.

"I'm okay," Apollo gasps, stumbling to his feet. "Just kidding." And he falls down again. If it wasn't so weird, it would be really funny. But it is weird...so there goes that.

"Guys!" Dionysus calls us back to attention, "We need a plan!"

"Right, okay," I reply, "so, here's what we're going to do..."

* * *

"Odysseus!" I shout, leaning onto my right leg, "the hydra got loose! It's running amuck all over campus!" Odysseus looks me over and rolls his eyes.

"Yeah, sure. I can tell you're lying. Otherwise, you would've never said 'amuck'," He replies. Point there.

"No, I'm serious. Look, it burned me!" I roll up my pants and reveal a gory-looking burn, courtesy of Aphrodite's almost scary makeup skills. Odysseus's eyes widen.

"You're telling the truth?" He asks disbelievingly.

"Totally," I reply. Luckily, Ares and Hephaestus manage to break through the bars on the hydra's cage at that moment. Someone screams, there's a loud crashing noise, and a stream of fire pours over Theseus's wedgie machine.

"Ring the emergency bell!" Odysseus orders, jogging off. "EVERYONE TO YOUR CABINS! _NOW_!" I jog over to the bell tower and pull the rope three times. More screams sound at this; the emergency bell means serious shit. People are running everywhere, crashing into each other and knocking things over. The hydra's many heads snake into view, spitting fire all over the forest. Total chaos that I slip through easily. No one notices me duck under the sword-fighting platform to meet the others.

"Ready?" I ask. They nod. One by one, we crawl out and join the frantic campers running in every direction. It's not hard to cross the property line without being noticed, but we can't all go at once.

Once we're all safely off campus, we split into two groups to look for Artemis. The girls, Athena, Aphrodite, Persephone, Hestia, Daphne, Coral, and Jane, go left, leaving the boys, Ares, Hephaestus, Apollo, Achilles, Jason, Perseus, Hercules, and I, to go right.

"This is ridiculous," Ares complains, after about two minutes of searching. "We're never going to find her."

"You never know until you try," Achilles replies, slashing a path through a thorn bush with his sword.

"We're just walking aimlessly," Ares continues, "we have no idea where she is."

"Would it be so hard for you to _not_ talk for two seconds?" Dionysus demands.

_**Apollo**_

We traipse through the woods, our spirits diminishing as the minutes pass with no sign of Artemis. That's when I feel a sharp pain in my arm. It stretches from my wrist up to my shoulder. Through my pain-clouded mind, I hear a voice say, _Look for the blackberry bushes._

What the shit.

More pain follows this, accompanied by,_ Apollo! He followed the blackberry bushes!_ Then, as quickly as it came, the pain and the voice are gone.

What.

"Um, do you guys see any blackberry bushes?" I ask.

"What?" Perseus replies, "Why would we be looking for blackberry bushes?"

"I just have a _really_ good feeling that we should look for a blackberry bush," I explain firmly.

"Is this a blackberry?" Hermes asks, holding up a round, blue berry. "Well, only one way to find out."

"NO!" I cry, "Don't eat that! That's _poisonous_!"

"Oh," He mutters, "well, someone could've _told_ me that."

"_This_ is a blackberry, nitwit," Dionysus says, gesturing to the bush in front of him.

"Great!" I exclaim, "Now we just need to find another."

"Why?" Jason asks.

"Because I _really_ think we should follow the blackberry bushes," I reply.

"Um, why?" Jason repeats.

"I just think so," I answer, by way of an explanation.

"That's stupid," Ares grunts.

"Got a better idea?" I ask. Ares glares at me and starts looking for another blackberry bush.

In the next hour, we find five more blackberry bushes and follow them through the woods. Despite Ares telling us the blackberry bushes mean nothing and my idea is dumb as shit, no one stops looking. Then, suddenly, we hear rapid footsteps. I draw my bow, and we instinctively form a circle. We wait with baited breath, the footsteps getting louder as they draw nearer. Soon we catch glimpses of a large man, running frantically. He bursts into full view and stops short when he sees us.

"Please!" He cries, "Please don't turn me in! _PLEASE_!"

"What?" Hermes asks.

"I want to keep my liver!" The man exclaims. Realization dawns on me (get it? _Dawns_? Cause I'm the god of the sun? Get it? OK).

"It's great-uncle Prometheus!" I explain. Prometheus smiles in relief.

"Yeah, that's me. I'm your great-uncle. You wouldn't turn in your great-uncle, would you?" Prometheus practically begs.

"Turn you in?" Jason repeats, confused, "For what?" Prometheus sighs.

"Well, this all happened a very long time ago," He begins. "The Titan war was over, and your other great-uncle, Epimetheus, and I had fought on the side of your father and his siblings. We had won, and Epimetheus and I were given the duty of creating life. So, then-" Hephaestus clear his throat.

"We're kind of in a hurry here," He points out, "so could this be a less long story?"

"Right. Okay. Long story short, I stole fire and gave it to the humans. Your father, Zeus, was not pleased. So he chained me to a rock to have my liver torn out and then replaced to be eaten again for all eternity," Prometheus explains.

"That's...lots of fun," Jason mutters.

"Have you seen Artemis?" I demand.

"Artemis? She's the dark-haired one with the bow and arrows, right?" He asks. We nod. "I haven't seen any of you since you were three. Sorry."

"Oh. Okay. Well, carry on with your running from the law," I reply. Prometheus nods and bids us farewell, then continues running through the forest.

Well that was fun.

Suddenly, I feel a painful heat stretch around my head. _Follow Prometheus. Prometheus knows. _

"He's lying!" I cry, "He knows where she is!" Prometheus, who is almost out of sight, whirls around, shocked horror on his face. Hermes lunges at him and pins him to the ground. Even conditioned by months of running, Prometheus doesn't stand a chance of outrunning Hermes. But once they're on the ground, Prometheus's sheer size gives him a huge advantage. Luckily, Hermes manages to hold him still long enough for Ares and Hephaestus to grab him and pin him against a tree.

"Where is she?" Ares snarls. Prometheus gives a devilish smile that could rival Hermes's.

"Listen for the screams," He replies. Then, with a snap of his fingers and a cloud of fire, he's gone.

The screams follow shortly after. Pain-filled, blood-curdling screams that chill us to the bone. Then I feel the pain. It feels like fire, wrapping around my limbs and squeezing them. I'm immune to fire, but Artemis isn't. The others start running, following the noise of Artemis's agony. They leave me on the ground, writhing through the torture.

_**Hermes**_

"Artemis!" I shout, "ARTEMIS!" She screams in reply. We keep running. As we round a row of trees, we're brought to a clearing displaying a horrifying scene.

Artemis is wrapped in a snake of fire, suspended several feet off the ground. She screams again. And there's nothing we can do.

"Get Apollo!" Perseus instructs. I run back through the forest, finding Apollo in a similar position, minus the fire.

**_Apollo_**

I think I hear someone calling my name. I think I feel someone slap me. But I'm not sure, I can't feel anything but the pain.

"Artemis...fire...help..." That's all my brain can register. That's all my brain _needs_ to register. I bolt upright, ignoring the pain.

"What?" I demand.

"Artemis is on fire!" Hermes tells me, "We need your help!" He leads me to a clearing, where my sister is floating, wrapped in fire. Pain pulses through my body as I try to extinguish it. The flames slowly die, the pain minimizing as the fire shrinks. Finally, it leaves me completely. Artemis falls to the ground, her clothes charred and some of her skin severely burnt. But before I can start healing her, we hear a loud _CRACK_. Prometheus stands before us, smirking.

****"Well done," He commends us. "But, you see, Artemis was my ransom. I'm using her as blackmail, so you're father will free me. And I can't have you running off with her, now can I?"

"Sorry," Hermes replies, scooping up my sister's limp body, "you don't have a choice." Prometheus charges at us, and we run for our lives. Hermes zips ahead, taking Artemis with him. Ares, Hercules, and Hephaestus pin Prometheus to the ground.

"You'll never get her now," Ares snarls. Prometheus raises an eyebrow, then snaps his fingers. He's gone in a puff of fire. With a pop, he reappears in front of us.

"I need my prisoner," Prometheus says, "and you are in the way." He snaps his fingers again, and coils of fire wrap themselves around our ankles and wrists. A larger coil pins us to the ground. Before I can even try extinguishing the flames, Prometheus walks over to me. "You're the little brat that can control fire," He mutters. "Well, we'll have to get rid of you." With that, he forms a fist and smacks me hard over the head. The last thing I hear is cold, icy laughter, before everything goes black.

_**Hermes**_

Here's the thing with superpowers: Sometimes they decide to hate you. Also, they can be pretty hard to use.

So when I reach a hill, trip over a stick, fall down, and start rolling down the hill, my superspeed is still going strong. I'm painfully aware that I'm still holding Artemis's already fragile body, and rolling over sharp rocks at a million miles per hour isn't helping. She stirs slightly and groans, but doesn't wake. When we reach the bottom of the hill, I scramble to my feet and zip aimlessly through an open field into another forest. Prometheus must be miles behind, but I can't stop. Why now? I think to myself. I rarely ever lose control. But, of course, when it matters, I can't stop running.

_SMACK_.

Scratch that. I stopped. Well, I was stopped. By a tree.

That's when I realize I don't know where I am. I've never been anywhere off-camp besides the park. I'm in the middle of some unknown forest, being chased by a maniac who simply wants his liver. I mean, when you think about it, it honestly isn't that much to ask. It's just a human organ. We're all entitled to our organs...I think.

OK, back to the point: I am completely and utterly lost. Where is everybody? Where is Prometheus?

I climb into a tree, trying to hold onto Artemis at the same time. Due to this, it takes a while. Once I get into the tree, I wait. And wait. And wait.

Well this is boring as hell.

Artemis stirs and writhes in agony while we wait. She cries out in pain, but never wakes up. And there's nothing I can do but hold her, so that's what I do. I just hold her tight and try to block out her , the boys show up on pegasi and spot Artemis and I in the tree. We drape Artemis's limp body over Apollo's pegasus, and I fly beside them. They tell me that Prometheus tied them to the ground with fire, then knocked Apollo out. They were there for an hour, they assume (no one actually had a watch), before Apollo came around and extinguished the flames. They're all burnt on their wrists and ankles, but not nearly as badly as Artemis. They ask me if I saw Prometheus, but I didn't. Apparently, he got away.

Odysseus pounces on us as soon as we make it back to camp. Without a word, he drags us to his office and orders us to tell him exactly what's going on.

"We had a trespasser on campus last night! Could you think of a _more_ horrible time to go for a stroll in the park? We were on lock-down _all day_, and Cabins 14 and 15 were both mysteriously empty! We've been looking for you all over! What do you think your father would say if he found out-"

"His prisoner has escaped and tried to use his daughter as ransom?" Apollo guesses, gesturing to Artemis, who is still limp in my arms.

"What?" Odysseus exclaims.

"It was Prometheus that kidnapped her," Apollo explains, "he wanted to use her as ransom so Dad would free him. And we weren't taking a stroll in the park, we were rescuing my sister!" Odysseus's lips form a thin, straight line.

"Where is Prometheus now?" He asks, surprisingly calm.

"We don't know," Achilles answers, "he got away." Hercules grunts.

"Where are the girls?" Odysseus presses.

"We don't know," Ares mutters.

"You don't know?!" Odysseus cries.

"They went looking for Artemis, too. But we split up once we got off-campus," Hermes explains. Odysseus puts his head in his hands, muttering something about irresponsible 14-year-olds and a search party.

"Take Artemis to the infirmary," He orders, "then go to your cabin. And no impromptu world-saving!"

"Oh no, there goes my Saturday," Hermes mutters sarcastically as we trudge out of Odysseus's office. The camp is deserted. Everyone is on their cabins on lockdown. As we walk towards the infirmary, we see a group of pegasi take off, carrying counselors and level 15 campers. Probably the search party, out looking for the girls.

After dropping Artemis in the infirmary, we go straight to Cabin 14, as instructed. We're in enough trouble already, we don't need to be breaking any more rules. We stay on lockdown until about 10 o'clock at night, when the search party finds the girls and campers are allowed to go to the pavilion for dinner, although it's four hours late. Odysseus announces that Prometheus has escaped and is at large. He tells us we will have a new, required class in emergency procedures, and the camp borders will be tightening. This means that the property lines will be heavily guarded (he glares right at us when he says this), and any camper who is able to get off will face severe consequences. He tells us not to worry and that we are perfectly safe.

The boys and I share a knowing glance. Prometheus has amazing abilities with fire, and has been hardened by many years of torture. Clearly he's smart enough to outsmart Hecate's protection charms around the camp, judging by the fact that he was able to escape Dad's imprisonment. And with his fire powers, getting through the thin line of horribly-trained counselors and level 15 campers won't be a problem.

We're screwed.


	11. Chapter 11: Truth or Dare?

**Here's chapter 11! Sorry this took so long, I've had a ****_really _****busy week. My friend is making an amateur movie of the first book, so I've been busy casting and writing the script. I promise I'll update faster in the future! I got a bunch of awesome reviews, please keep 'em coming! I'll post the next chapter when I get two reviews!**

**Unknown: I think I ****_have _****heard that one in a mythology book I read once, but thanks! Here's your interesting fact: Hestia was called "Hestia, the first and last", because she was the first born of the Olympians but the last Kronos threw up. Thanks for reviewing!**

**M'n'Mzutarians 4ever: Don't worry about Artemis, she's okay! Jane doesn't have any superpowers. This chapter is pretty fluffy. Thanks for the review!**

**Guest: Hermes and Artemis are endgame, that's all I can tell you. Thanks for such a nice review!**

**Guest: I hope you did well on your test! I love replying to your reviews. It's great to hear what you guys think and to get to communicate a little with you. Thanks for reviewing!**

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**Purpletanblue: Thank you! You'll just have to wait and see about Artemis and Hermes. But for those of you Hermes X Artemis shippers, there's an entire community of fanfics with Hermes and Artemis. It's called "Heartemis", and I think chipettejones10 is the founder.**

**Guest: Thank you!**

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**Guest: Updated!**

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**Guest: Again, updated!**

**Wow! Thank you guys for all the amazing reviews!**

* * *

_**Apollo**_

After about a week of dismal emergency drills and ominous self-defense classes, Odysseus decides it's time we had some fun. So he directs each of the age groups to a different point on campus for a special game. The fourteen year olds (minus Artemis, who's in the infirmary, asleep due to the side effect of a fast-healing drug I gave her) go to the waterfront, where Odysseus is standing. Behind him are several canoes. Filled with...bags of milk...what?

"This may well be the stupidest decision I've ever made," Odysseus begins. "We are going to be playing Dodgeball." There's a chorus of groans. "However, the balls are actually bags of milk, and you will be moving in teams of two in canoes. Once you've been hit with a bag of milk three times, you're out. Each team gets five bags of milk, but you can steal from other groups."

"He wants us to get in canoes...and throw milk at each other?" Dionysus asks. I shrug.

"Well, duh, what else would you do with eight canoes and forty bags of milk?" Hermes replies.

"Why would you have eight canoes and forty bags of milk in the first place?" I point out.

"So you can put irresponsible fourteen-year-olds who don't know how to canoe and have dated, broken up, and gotten back together so much that everyone has a reason to hate everyone else in the canoes and tell them to throw the bags of milk at each other," Hermes explains.

"Right," Odysseus calls us back to attention, "teams. Persephone and Coral, Daphne and Aphrodite, Ares and Hephaestus, Perseus and Dionysus, Achilles and Jason, Hercules and Athena, Apollo and Hestia, and Hermes and Jane."

**_Hermes_**

Jane and I climb into our canoe and paddle out onto the glassy lake, soon churned up from the paddles cutting through the surface. Our canoe rocks gently in the current as we wait for Odysseus to blow his whistle.

"Everybody ready?" Odysseus calls. We're all ready. "Ok, go!" The sound of his whistle pierces the air, and the game begins. Jane and I paddle straight for Apollo and Hestia, who are headed for Ares and Hephaestus, facing the other way. Jane nails Apollo in the back of the head without him even noticing our approach. Hestia turns around at the sound of the splash and starts laughing at him, only to be hit herself by Hephaestus. Jane and I are still miraculously milk-free, so we paddle away as quickly as possible.

"Hermes, look out!" Jane calls, pointing behind me.

"Huh?" I whirl around and am hit full-on in the face with a bag of milk. Jane doubles over, laughing. "Oh, you think that's really funny, don't you?" I mutter, picking up a bag of milk and chucking over at her. It explodes on contact with her cheek, stopping her laughter and drawing out a disbelieving gasp.

"Hermes!" She whines, "You're not supposed to hit your _teammates_."

"I'm not particularly fond of rules," I reply, arming myself with another bag of milk. Jane does the same. Just as I'm about to throw mine, she leans sharply to the side and flips the canoe. We both fly into the icy water. This is one way to clean the milk off, I suppose. I push myself towards the surface and find myself trapped in the air pocket beneath the canoe. Jane comes up seconds later, right in front of me. "That was so dumb," I tell her, in the nicest way possible. She smiles sweetly.

"Shouldn't have thrown that milk at me!" She replies.

"I wouldn't have, if you hadn't laughed at me," I point out.

"Hermes, come on. You were covered in _milk_. How could I not laugh?" She says. She's got me there.

"Yeah, well, if we're eaten by a sea monster, it's your fault," I tell her.

"I thought you were a _warrior_," She replies, "wouldn't you be able to fight it off?"

"Sure, I could," I answer casually, "but I wouldn't. I'd let it eat you, as payback for flipping the canoe."

"No, you wouldn't."

"I totally wouldn't." She laughs, her peals of laughter echoing off the sides of the canoe and filling it with a cacophony of beautiful noise. I paddle closer to her. She does the same. Kicking my legs frantically to keep myself above the surface, I wrap my arms around her neck and press my lips against hers.

* * *

We're heading back to our cabin, covered in milk (and, in my case, lake water), when Apollo asks, "Have you thought about Brightwood?"

I don't answer right away, because honestly I haven't. There are a million reasons to go: It's an amazing opportunity, I might get a chance to compete at the elite level, and going to boarding school might help me get away from it all. But then again, I'd be starting fresh. No friends. No memories. No life.

"Not really," I finally reply.

"You should go," He says, "I mean, no one's ever gotten in and didn't go."

"I know," I reply.

"Look, it's up to you. But don't you think you wanna, you know, get away?" He points out.

"I don't know," I sigh, "I guess. But I don't know if I'd like it there. And I'd miss you guys."

"We'd visit you," He says, "we'd see you at training camp. As for liking it, I can almost guarantee you'll like it. It's all riding, like, twenty-four-seven. And you like riding." I shrug.

"I don't know if I like it enough to give up my life for it," I tell him.

"It's up to you," He replies. "I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't miss you. But I'd be selfish if I told you to stay here. Especially if your future is there." I don't reply. What if I choose the wrong thing? What if my future _is_ at Brightwood, and I stay here? But what if I'm meant to be here? How can I know whether I'm making the right choice?

* * *

"Instead of fighting a monster, today, we'll be starting a new project," Odysseus tells us. "You will be designing and creating your own monster. You will be in groups of five, and you may pick your groups. At the end of the week, the monsters will battle each other. The last one standing wins." We immediately form teams. As I expected, the girls group up, as do the boys. Perseus, Achilles, Jason, Hercules, and Jane form another team. Daphne and Coral group up with some of the fifteen-year-old girls. Odysseus sends us away to brainstorm, and we form a circle on the ground of the arena

"I've got it!" I announce, "A dinosaur, with wings, that breathes fire!" They look unimpressed.

"So...a dragon?" Apollo guesses. I glare at him.

"What if we made it, like, super tiny, but it can-"

"That is the _gayest_ suggestion I've ever heard," Ares cuts Hephaestus off before he can explain what our monster can do.

"I've got it!" I announce again. Apollo sighs. "A dinosaur, with wings, that breathes fire _and poops robot minions._" They look at each other, considering this.

"That could work."

"Yeah, actually, that would be pretty cool."

"Minion-pooping dragon it is."

_**Artemis**_

Slowly, the darkness peels back to reveal the camp infirmary. I sit up in my cot, relishing in the feeling of no pain. My skin feels fresh and new, like it was completely regrown. Aceso, who travels to training camp for the summer, rushes to my side.

"How do you feel?" She demands.

"Fine," I reply. I do feel fine. In fact, I've never felt better.

"Your skin was severely burnt," Aceso tells me, "so we had to completely re-grow it."

"Re-grow it?" I repeat, horrified. Aceso nods. So that's why it feels so rubbery and new.

"Only took three days," She replies, "but we had to give you a potion to keep you asleep. Regrowing skin is incredibly painful." _Yeah, I would assume so._ "Now, Odysseus has instructed me to ask you to tell me everything that happened to you from the moment you were kidnapped on." I sigh and close my eyes, memories flooding in.

"I got a note telling me to go to the shooting range or else, so I did. Someone knocked me out and kidnapped me, then took me off into the forest. I couldn't see who it was, but he kept muttering about following blackberry bushes. I think he had some sort of hideout hidden, but we never got there. Prometheus revealed himself the next day, and explained that I was his ransom. He started torturing me, trying to get Dad's attention. I used the pain as a connection to Apollo's brain to tell him where I was. Prometheus figured out people were looking for me, so he tied me to a tree and left to go meet whoever it was. While he was gone, I tried hurting myself in any way possible, so I could get into Apollo's mind. Prometheus knocked me out again when he came back. That's all I remember." Aceso nods, her pen scribbling furiously.

"Thank you. Well, if you're sure you're okay, you can leave now," She tells me. Wasting no time, I jump to my feet and race out of the infirmary, searching the grounds for my friends. I find them in the arena, seated in little circles. Athena waves me over.

"We saved you a spot on our team," She tells me. Hestia explains the project and shows me the plan so far. It's a genius design, a tiny winged shark that can slip around unnoticed. The plan is to give it some sort of shape-shifting ability, so it can grow to gargantuan size when needed. "We have to beat the boys," Athena says vehemently.

"Please, knowing them, they'll come up with some stupid dragon thing that poops robots," Aphrodite scoffs.

* * *

"Athena, truth or dare?" Aphrodite asks, smirking devilishly.

"Truth," Athena replies, always boring and sensible.

"Given the choice, would you have sex with Apollo again?" Aphrodite asks, giggling. Athena blushes bright red.

"Um, I guess," She admits.

"Ew!" I cry, "Gross! That's my brother you're talking about! Ew!" Athena rolls her eyes.

"Hestia," Athena says, "truth or dare."

"Dare," Hestia says, grinning with excitement.

"Hmmm," Athena mutters to herself, "got it! Cover your face in Aphrodite's red lipstick. Completely." Hestia groans and walks to the bathroom, picking Aphrodite's reddest lipstick and applying it first to her forehead, then her cheeks.

"That's a great look for you," Coral tells her, smirking. Hestia rolls her eyes and sits down, selecting her next victim.

"Daphne!" She decides, "Truth or dare?"

"Truth," Daphne replies.

"Would you rather pee lava, or poop dry ice?" Hestia asks.

"Poop dry ice," Daphne says with certainty, "lava would burn my bladder."

"Technically, dry ice would too," Athena informs us.

"Be quiet!" Daphne orders, smacking her over the head with her pillow. "Artemis!" Of course she chooses me.

"Truth," I pick.

"Would you rather have sex with Poseidon, or marry Odysseus? And you can't get divorced," She tells me.

"I guess I'd rather marry Odysseus. Poseidon is my uncle," I decide, grimacing. The girls shriek with giggles, smacking me with pillows. I roll my eyes and sigh, wondering how I let myself get roped into this.

_**Hermes**_

"OK, here are the rules. Everyone has to pick dare at least once, we can't all be boring, that's Apollo's job. If you refuse a dare, or a truth, everyone gets to go around and give you a new dare, or truth. Got it?" Ares explains. We nod. "Great. Who wants to go first?"

"I will," Perseus volunteers. "Hmmm...Jason! Truth or dare?"

"Truth," Jason says immediately.

"Do you like Coral or Persephone?" Perseus asks. Jason sighs.

"Persephone," He mutters, "but she won't even talk to me."

"Well, duh, you made out with another girl and broke her heart. You're a total douchebag. If I were her, I wouldn't talk to you," I tell him. Jason glares at me.

"Don't mind him, he's not on his medication," Apollo explains, "so he just says whatever comes to mind."

"Um, okay," Jason mutters, shaking his head. "Dionysus, truth or dare?"

"Dare," Dionysus says.

"Um...put one of Ares's socks in your _mouth_," Jason decides, grinning satanically. Dionysus groans, walking over to Ares's pile of clothes and pulling out a sock.

"I hate you," He tells Jason, "and if I die, you're not invited to my funeral." With that, he balls up the sock and shoves it into his mouth, then proceeds to spit it out, gagging. "Oh my gods," He gasps, "that was...I...now I know what the Underworld tastes like." He shoves the sock back into the pile and takes his seat on the floor. "Alright, Achilles! Truth or dare?"

"Dare," Achilles replies.

"Tomorrow, you have to wear your underwear on your head,_ all day_," Dionysus orders.

"What?!" Achilles cries.

"Do you refuse?" Dionysus asks. Achilles looks around the circle at us, then sighs desperately.

"No," He groans. "Okay, Hermes, truth or dare?"

"Truth," I reply.

"When was the last time peed yourself?" He asks. I furrow my brow, not having really thought about this much in the past.

"I think it was the first time I won Nationals," I finally answer, "I was really excited. Good thing I wasn't using a saddle."

The game continues for several more hours. Hercules licks his own armpit. Ares has fake sex with the shower head. Apollo has to dance everywhere he goes tomorrow. Achilles wasn't completely potty-trained until he was six. Hephaestus has to ask Odysseus to marry him.

Boy, tomorrow is going to be a lot of fun.

* * *

Achilles is getting a lot of weird looks.

Which we can't be surprised about, but he can't be the _first_ person in the history of training camp to walk around with underwear on his head.

He may be the first person to never be able to take them off because I put superglue on the insides.

Well, Hephaestus is about to out-embarrass him, and Apollo is getting his own share of weird looks (as he grapevines over to our table), so Achilles isn't alone. He will be tomorrow, though, when he's still got underwear super-glued to his head.

"Do I have to do this?" Hephaestus whines.

"Yup. Go," Ares replies, pushing him towards Odysseus.

"This is ridiculous," Hephaestus complains.

"Well, at least you're gay. It's not like we're asking you to propose to a woman." Ares makes a mock disgusted face as he says the last two words. He gives Hephaestus one last shove and waves sweetly at him, watching him shuffle awkwardly to the front of the pavillion. We shift closer so we can hear what they're saying.

"Odysseus? Um, I have a question," Hephaestus begins, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"What?" Odysseus asks. Hephaestus gulps, then drops down on one knee.

"Will you marry me?"

"What?!" Odysseus shrieks. Hephaestus sighs.

"It was a dare," He explains hastily, "Achilles put me up to it! I don't actually want you to marry me!" Odysseus gives him an odd look.

"You are making me very uncomfortable. I am going to ask you to please walk away now," He says slowly. Hephaestus nods, face burning, and shuffles away. He walks up to Achilles and looks him straight in the eye.

"I am going to make sure you have a wonderful day today, and I will make sure you enjoy everything happening to you in life. Then, while you are in this happy state, I will sneak up behind you and pee all over the back of your head. And I piss lava," Hephaestus hisses.

"It's true!" Dionysus puts in. Achilles cocks an eyebrow.

"No, dude, he _actually_ pisses lava. I'm not kidding," Ares says seriously.

Achilles says, "I'll believe it when I see it." And suddenly Hephaestus's fly is unzipped and there's a mess of lava on the ground.

Well that was an interesting morning.


	12. Chapter 12: The Robot-Minion Apocalypse

**Here's chapter 12! Sorry this wasn't up sooner. AngelicVampireGirl blew my cover, so I had to relocate and get a new fake name. I got some amazing reviews, please keep 'em coming! I'll post a new chapter as soon as I get two. Also, big news: We have our first filming of the movie "Mt. Olympus Junior High" (based off the first book) on Sunday!**

**AngelicVampireGirl: Darn it! I was ****_so _****certain no one would figure it out this time! I guess it wasn't very smart of me to share my story with you, I just thought it was worth hearing. Thanks so much for the awesome review! **

**ArtyMoonSon: The movie is just a private thing, I don't think we're gonna be putting it on the internet, and it's pretty different from the book. Thank you so much for such a nice review!**

**Guest: Updated!**

**Unknown: Yeah, I think I've heard that one. Did you know there was a mane named Pygmalion who built himself a statue of a woman and fell in love with it? Talk about forever alone! There's a lot about Hestia, Ares, and Apollo in this chapter. And yes, I think that is how you show pairings, but I'm new here, so I don't really know. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Awesome Monster: Thank you! I work really hard to make it funny, so I'm glad you enjoyed the humor! There's a bit more humor in this chapter, as well as some drama.**

* * *

_**Hermes**_

"Why aren't these coming off?" Achilles cries desperately, pulling at the striped boxers on his head.

"I have no idea...," I mutter, inching towards the door.

"Are these, like, glued to my head or something?" Achilles demands through gritted teeth.

"Well, wouldn't that be weird? I actually have to go. So, bye!" I zip out the door, barely holding back my laughter. He'll never know it was me...teehee...

Well, actually, it'll probably take him about five seconds to figure it out, and then he'll come after me with a sledgehammer. But I don't have time for that now. I'm meeting Jane on the clifftop. It's all the way on the other side of the forest, which is why I hadn't seen it until Jane showed it to me. But it's convenient, in case I ever want to commit sui-HAVE A CLIFFTOP PICNIC WITH MY GIRLFRIEND.

Jane is already there when I arrive. She's wearing the same thing she always does, jeans and a black T-shirt, but she looks prettier than she did at the dance. Her dark hair is slightly mussed (isn't that a terrible word? I hate that word) by the breeze, and it swirls around her head like a black halo as she turns to see me.

"Hey," She says, wrapping her arms around me. I hug her back. She walks over to the edge of the cliff and sits down, and I follow suit. "This is kind of ironic," She remarks.

"What?" I ask.

"That we're having a date on a clifftop."

"Oh. Yeah, I guess."

"I don't want to jump, though."

"Neither do I." She puts her head on my shoulder, our hands intertwined.

"Do you think we'll be like this for the rest of our lives?" She asks, breaking the silence.

"What do you mean, 'like this'? Insane? Maybe. Yeah, we probably will be. But people like us, we have to be two people. One side of us is crazy, depressed, torn up, haunted by the past. The other side is what other people see. Happy, normal people. And eventually, we might forget all about the sad side. But it'll still be there," I reply.

"Well said," She commends me.

"Thanks. Occasionally, some actual intelligence comes out of my mouth instead of the usual meaningless shit," I admit.

"I don't think it's meaningless shit," She tells me. "Everything you've said or done has helped me out of my depression. Something like that isn't meaningless."

"You helped me, too," I reply, "we helped each other." I turn her face towards mine and press my lips against hers, her arms wrapping around my neck. "C'mon," I tell her, jumping to my feet and offering my hand. She stands up as well.

"Where are we going?" She asks.

"You'll see," I promise her. She shrugs, takes my hand, and we take off into the night sky.

We do figure-eights, flips, loops, any trick I can think of. Behind me, she's wide-eyed with wonder as we race past the stars. Even when the rain starts, we keep flying, the water soaking us to the bone. Finally, we hang, still, out in the open air. Her feet are on top of mine, keeping her safely suspended in the sky.

I've never had a better kiss in my life.

Suddenly, a crack of lightning lights up the sky. Thunder booms over head, and in a swirl of dark, ominous clouds, my father appears on the clifftop before us. I blink a few times to make sure I'm not hallucinating.

"Dad?" I call, just to be sure.

"We need to have a word," He tells me, "in private." Jane takes the hint. I fly back over to the ground, and she starts walking away, waving sweetly. I wave back, my eyes pinned on her retreating form. My father clears his throat impatiently.

"Oh, right," I mutter, "we need to have a word."

"I don't like her." Dad gets straight to the point.

"What?" I cry, "Don't like who? Jane?" My father nods.

"I don't think she's good for you," He tells me.

"What? Why?" I demand.

"I don't think she's helping you...get better. Move on," He says.

"That's not her job!" I reply, "She's my girlfriend, not my therapist."

"Hermes, think about it this way: If you wanted to jump, she wouldn't tell you not to."

"But thanks to her, I don't want to jump!"

"And what if she left? What would happen then? You're getting too attached to her. Eventually, you'll have to leave training camp, and she'll stay here. You're going to leave her. And I'm worried about the effect that'll have on you."

"I'm a lot stronger than I used to be, Dad. I've been through a lot. I don't think a long-distance relationship is going to have me jumping off buildings."

"I don't want to take chances."

"You're not in charge of me!"

"I'm your father!"

"If you're my father, then why were you never there? I needed you. And you didn't care."

"I tried, Hermes! You wouldn't tell me anything! How was I supposed to guess-"

"If you had been there, you wouldn't have had to guess! You're not my father, you're just the guy who had sex with my mother."

"That would make me your-"

"Figuratively! Yes, you're my biological parent. But you're not my dad."

"Listen, Hermes. Your mom is gone. I'm all you've got. So you better start getting used to me."

"And you better start getting used to Jane! Because she's here to stay."

"How can you say that, when you're only fourteen?"

"Because I'm not like you! I don't cheat, I don't have sex with every girl willing. I've got a heart."

"If it weren't for me 'having sex with every girl willing', you wouldn't be here."

"Right! Then I wouldn't have faced all this!"

"Hermes, this is final: I won't tolerate her."

"You don't have to!"

"You want to go through with this? Fine. But it's only going to make things worse." Then, with a clap of thunder and a flash of lightning, he's gone.

* * *

"What do you think of these?" Hephaestus pulls a set of large, iron wings out and sets them on the worktable in front of us. I examine them.

"They're nice," I reply, "but they should be curved so air can flow under more easily. And make sure all the right feathers are modeled after feathers from the right wing of the bird, and the left feathers from the left wing. If they're all from the same wing, our minion-pooping dragon will crash."

"I know that," Hephaestus says indignantly, "I'm not an idiot." He hands me a hammer. "Help me make a curve." He turns the wings upside down and starts banging on the inside, making an indent. I turn over the other one and follow suit.

"I think it works!" Apollo cries from the other side of the room, high-fiving Dionysus. They're building the robot minions for the dragon to poop out. He presses a button, and the minion starts walking. He grins like an idiot, watching his creation traverse the workroom. His smile fades, however, when it starts knocking over tools and supplies. "Wait, Fred, no!" He cries.

"You named the minion-poop Fred?" I ask incredulously.

"Duh, what else do you name minion-poop?" He replies, as if this is obvious. Fred proceeds to plow through a table, scattering the beginnings of someone's monster.

"Fred!" Apollo exclaims, "That was very naughty! Bad Fred!" Fred continues to plow through things, knocking over everything and wreaking havoc.

"Well, at least you didn't give it any superpowers," Ares reasons. Just as he finishes speaking, Fred shoots green lasers from his eyes and burns a hole through the wing I'd been hammering. "Why on _Earth_ would you give it _laser vision_?!" Ares demands. Apollo cringes.

"We thought he needed some mojo," Dionysus explains.

"First of all, I can't believe you just said the word 'mojo'," Ares begins, "second of all, it's poop! Poop does not need _mojo_!" Fred shoots a laser beam at Ares, who jumps out of the way. "What next? Can it spit grenades?"

"What? Pssh, that would be ridiculous!" Apollo brushes off the idea. Fred opens his mouth and lets loose a stream of small, sharp things. "It spits _poison darts_." The poison darts bury themselves in Hephaestus's wing. Fred turns towards a small, iron shark, equipped with wings, and shoots laser beams at it. The tiny thing is reduced to a puddle of melted metal in seconds. Apollo starts chasing after the robot. Fred turns around and starts rolling towards Ares, red eyes blinking rapidly. Hephaestus and I watch from behind our giant wings, hopefully safe. Ares grabs an unfinished shield and hides behind it.

"One more thing," Dionysus squeaks.

"What?!" Ares snaps, poking his head out from behind the metal slab.

"It farts fire." As if on cue, Fred turns around, and a plume of smoke and flames sprouts from his rear end. They melt a hole in Ares's shield and almost do some redecorating to his face, but he jumps out of the way in time. Fred turns and continues demolishing the workroom. He starts towards a beautifully designed set of armor, one of Hephaestus's favorite pieces, and turns around to let flee a fire-fart.

"No!" Hephaestus cries, grabbing his hammer and jumping on top of Fred, knocking him to the ground. With three blows of his tool, Fred is a mess of metal and wire.

"Fred!" Apollo exclaims, "How could you do this to him?!" He picks up a few of Fred's pieces, which are damaged beyond repair. "He'll never walk again!"

"Yeah, and he'll never shoot eye-lasers, fart fire, spit poison darts, or wreck an entire work room in less than an hour again. I think the pros outweigh the cons," Ares points out. Dionysus puts a comforting hand on Apollo's shoulder.

"He was a good minion robot," He says softly.

"He was so young!" Apollo cries. He takes a deep breath, collects himself, then says, "There's only one thing left to do."

"And that is...?" I prompt.

"Bury him in satin, lay him down on a bed of roses, sink him in the river at dawn, and send him away with the words of a love song," He replies, as if this is obvious.

"You have been listening to way too much futuristic mortal music," Ares tells him, sighing.

_**Hestia**_

I _want_ to stop looking at her. I know all she's doing is feeding my insecurities, but I can't tear my eyes away from Aphrodite in that tank top. It's just so tight, and she's so skinny. I'm nowhere near that skinny.

No wonder Ares likes her.

I excuse myself from sword-fighting and head for the bathroom, staring at my feet. I _will_ be as skinny as her. I throw open the thin, wooden door and crouch down on my knees before the toilet, preparing to shove my fingers down my throat.

Just as I'm about to rid myself of my last few meals, I stop. I can't do it. I'm stronger than this._ Girl, you're amazing, just the way you are._ Apollo's song rings in my ears. If I'm enough for someone as sweet and gorgeous as he is, then I should be enough for myself.

I'm about to leave when I hear a loud _POP_! Before me stands a tall, black-haired woman with beautiful olive skin. Of course, she's just as skinny as Aphrodite, if not skinnier. She's chewing loudly on a piece of gum.

"OK sweetheart, let's take a look at you," She says.

"Um...who are you?" I ask, trying not to be rude. She rolls her eyes.

"Peitho, goddess of persuasion and seduction. But, sweetcheeks, this isn't about me. This is about you," She explains.

"Um, I'm Hestia," I mutter, "goddess of the home and hearth." She clucks her tongue disapprovingly.

"Oh, honey, so many problems. So many problems," She mutters to herself.

"I...what are you talking about?" I ask, blushing. She ignores me.

"Alright, let's get down to business," She announces, ignoring the fact that we're both crammed into the tiny, wooden bathroom stall. "You want the muscley boy, yes?"

"What?" I ask, feeling stupider by the second. She rolls her eyes again.

"The one with the mohawk and the abs," She continues.

"Ares?" I question.

"Yeah, him. You like him, right?" She presses.

"Um, I guess, but I have a boyfriend now."

"Boyfriend, schmoyfriend. You're with the nerdy blonde one, right? Right. What's he got that Ares doesn't? Sappy love songs and good grades? Honey, you don't need those. Ares has those _amazing_ muscles, and honey, that's what you need."

"I...I like Apollo."

"You tell yourself that, but it _kills_ you that Ares is with that ditzy blonde bimbo."

"He's not with her!"

"Honey, he hooks up with her every night! Don't you ever wonder where she is?"

"I...I guess not."

"Well, forget about her. If you want that boy, you're going to get him. We'll give you a complete makeover. Do something with that boring hair, give you some actual boobs, a little lipstick and some blush, high heels, skinny-

"Wait, wait, wait!" I interrupt Peitho. She blinks at me innocently. "I don't need a makeover! I don't want Ares! I have a boyfriend! Thank you for your time, but I'm not interested." I start to push past her for the door. She grabs me by the shoulder and turns me around.

"Sweetcheeks, listen to me. I know these things. Sure, you like Apollo's love songs, and you like his romantic gestures, but do you like him?"

"I...," I stammer, "yes! Yes, of course I like him! He's my boyfriend, and I don't need you helping me cheat on him!"

"What, you think you can do it on your own? Oh, please," She scoffs.

"No! That's not what I meant! I don't need you helping me cheat on him, because I'm not going to," I explain slowly. Peitho gives me a sympathetic look.

"Fine, fine, have it your way," She tells me.

"Thank you," I sigh frustratedly, pushing open the door.

"But imagine the look on that blonde girl's face when you steal Ares right from her!" I stop dead in my tracks. I can imagine the look, and it looks good. Hating myself, I turn to face her.

"Okay. OK, fine. Let's get started."

* * *

"Is this all?" Peitho asks, wrinkling her nose. I nod. She sighs, pushing my trunk of clothes back under my bed. "This is my worst case yet." I sigh. "Okay. Since clothes and makeup is going to be the hardest part, let's start with the internal makeover."

"Um, what?" I question.

"We're going to makeover you, on the inside," She explains.

"But, I like myself," I mutter.

"Honey, let's face the facts: You couldn't keep a guy in the first place, he cheated on you, you couldn't work up the gut to ask him to the dance, you can't even tell your new boyfriend you love him, and you're a bulimic, shy loser," She says. My mouth falls slightly open.

"I..." I can't think of anything to say.

"Let's get started. Who are you?" She asks.

"Me? Um, I already told you. I'm Hestia, goddess of the hearth and home," I tell her.

"Own it! That's boring! Who are you?"

"Hestia."

"Who are you?!"

"Um...Hestia, I've told you this, like, a thousand times..."

"Who are you?!"

"Hestia! I'm Hestia, goddess of the hearth and home! I am Hestia, the first and last!"

"That's more like it!" Peitho commends me. "Now, let's discuss your problem."

"My problem? I don't have a-"

"Let's not keep secrets, sweety. Your problem. _Bulimia_."

"Oh." She looks at me, blinking her large, amber eyes. Suddenly, I feel defensive. Why should I tell this stranger my secret? She has no right to know!

"Well? I can't get you the guy unless you let me help you." I sigh.

"Okay, so here's the thing: Ares used to like me, a lot. Then he sort of lost interest. I guess I didn't entertain him enough, or something. Anyway, he cheated. And I ended it, because I wasn't going to let him get away with that. And for a while, he was pretty distraught. I had him wrapped around my finger. If I wanted him back, I could've had him. But I told myself I didn't, because he was a dirty, lying cheater. Then, I guess he accepted that I wasn't taking him back, so he moved on. To _Aphrodite_. He asked her to the dance, and that's when it started. And I just didn't know _why _he asked her, and not me. Then I realized, I'm _me_, and she's _her_. She's so pretty and seductive and...and skinny. That led to this irrational _need_ to be skinny. I thought it would help me get Ares back. But it didn't, it led me to Apollo. And I'm happy." Peitho shakes her head.

"Enough about Apollo!" She snaps. She then adopts a high-pitched falsetto and mimics me, "He's dreamy! I love Apollo! He wrote me the sweetest song! He's so kind and compassionate, he'd never break my heart." Peitho gives me a bored look. "Honey, he's boring. You're going to lose interest, just like Ares lost interest in you."

"Wow. You're really...honest," I mutter. Peitho ignores me.

"Here's what I gathered from that unnecessarily long tale of woe: You compromised your happiness for him, and he didn't give you a second glance. However, this other, much less attractive guy did, and you went with him to boost your self esteem," She says.

"Well, I guess," I reply.

"OK. So, clearly this guy wants someone with confidence. Stop telling yourself you need to be good enough for him. Look in the mirror! You're gorgeous! He needs to measure up to _your_ standards. And don't let him belittle you, because men like to do that. They like to be in charge," She instructs. "Let's work on your confidence."

"Are you sure this is a good idea? I have a-"

"You're a bulimic loser and you have no friends."

"What?"

"You heard me! You're _alone_, Hestia. Nobody likes you. Do you think Ares ever liked you? You were just something to keep him entertained for a while. But he got bored. Because that's what you are: a _bore_. You're boring, Hestia. _Boring_."

"I...that's actually kind of true."

"What are you doing?!" Peitho cries, "Stand up for yourself! I'm mercilessly pointing out all of your flaws, and you're _agreeing_ with me? The blonde girl wouldn't do that!" I sigh, knowing it's true. She takes a deep breath. "Let's try again. Hestia, you outright suck. You're ugly, you're friendless, and you're fat!" I look her in the eyes, letting the anger well up inside of me. I can stand up for countless sixth graders having their lunch money stolen, so how come I can't stand up for _me_?

"You're lying." Peitho pretends to look outraged.

"What did you say, loser?"

"You're lying. I'm not any of those things. I'm not ugly. If I was ugly, why would both Ares and Apollo have fallen for me? And even if you're right, even if I _was_ just something to entertain him, you have to be pretty beautiful to be worth that. And I'm not _friendless_. I think the friendless one here is you. If you're wasting your time picking on someone who never did anything to you, then you must have nothing better to do! And I am not fat. This shirt is an extra-small, and no, it's not a plus-size. So thanks for your time, but _fuck you._" Peitho looks furious for a moment, then breaks out into a happy grin.

"That was fabulous! OMG, he's _yours_. Don't lose that! Practice that in front of the mirror if you ever feel insecure. Okay, now, clothes..."

**_Ares_**

"...should've seen Athena's face when she saw it. She was like 'It's ruined! Our monster! It's completely smashed!' And I was like, 'Who did that? Hmm, wasn't our robot-minion, that's for sure.' And she was like, 'It was _you_! You sabotaged our-"

"Ahem." I feel a hand on my shoulder, stopping me mid-sentence. Hestia is behind me, one hand on her hip. Her lips are pursed and painted bright red, her hair up in a high ponytail. She's wearing high-heeled sandals and a short, denim skirt. On top, a white tank-top stops just above where I'd have liked it to.

"Hestia? You look great!" I tell her, my eyes widening. Apollo furrows his brow.

"This is, um, _new_. But, hey, if you like it, I love it!" He tells her. I refrain from punching him in the face. Damn him and his sweet, romantic gestures! Hestia doesn't give him a second glance.

"I have something to say to you, Ares," She snaps.

"And what would that be, Beautiful?" I reply, turning the charm up to it's highest level.

"First of all: _don't_ call me that. Second of all: Do you know what I do for you? _This_ is for you. And what do you do? You sleep around with any girl you want! Do I mean nothing to you? Doesn't matter, because _you_ mean nothing to _me_. I'm done with following you around like a lovesick puppy! You think that you can make out with Aphrodite, and when you get tired of her, I'll still be here, happy to be your consolation prize! But I'm not. I demand some _respect_."

With that, she saunters away, swaying her hips. Apollo gets up and chases after her, but I can't even smirk. What was that?

"Girl, that was some _sass_!" Dionysus finally breaks the silence.

Everything that comes out of his mouth is so flaming homosexual I have to refrain from lighting him on fire.

_**Hestia**_

I can hear Apollo's footsteps behind me, and that's why I run from the pavilion. I'm turning into Ares, telling one boy I love him then flirting with another. I'm turning into everything I resent about him. I don't know where to go, so I run for the shore, where our friendship first turned into something more. But once I reach it, there's nowhere else to run but into the lake. And I'm not doing that. Hydrophobia comes with fire powers. Apollo won't be going for a swim, either, so I can only hope he'll turn back.

He doesn't. He runs over to me and grabs me by the arm, turning me around.

"What's going on?" He demands. I sigh. "What was that? Just tell me. I won't be mad. Was this all for Ares?" He's not talking about my new look. He's talking about us. And it gets me thinking. Is it all for Ares? Is Peitho right? Am I just telling myself I like Apollo? Is he just clogging up the hole that Ares filled?

"I...I don't know," I finally admit.

"Really?" He replies, sounding sadistic and sarcastic, "Because that certainly looked like it was all for him."

"Please don't be mad," I squeak, knowing he fully deserves to. He takes a deep breath.

"I'm not mad," He says softly, "just tell me how you feel. I don't want to tie you down if he's what you really want. I just want you to be happy." I turn from him, biting my bottom lip as tears start to fall. "Hestia, c'mon. Tell me. I don't want to do this either, but I don't want to be your consolation prize."

"Yes," I tell him, my voice thick with tears and emotion, "yes, it was all for him. It was always for him, and he never gave me a second look." Apollo is silent. He takes a few steps away from me.

"Okay," He finally replies, "fine." He starts to walk away.

"Apollo, wait!" I cry, turning to face him. He stops and whirls around.

"It's always Ares, isn't it?!" He exclaims, "First Athena, now you."

"No, no, I love you, I really do," I argue, walking over to him and putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Really? Because a few seconds ago, you said it was all for Ares. Let me know when you make up your mind," He hisses, starting to pull away. I tighten my grip, panic squeezing it's icy hand around my heart, reminding me of the sharp sting of losing Ares. Do I really want to go through that again?

"I've made up my mind!" I promise him, "I want you, I want us!"

"Well, the girl who was part of 'us' wouldn't have completely redone herself for another guy," He tells me, shoving my hand off his shoulder.

"Apollo, wait! Please, I'm sorry. I was confused, and I just thought that maybe if I looked a little different-"

"That what? That Ares would like you? Yeah, that's what I thought. Well, if you want someone who's going to make you change yourself, fine. But remember, I like you _just the way you are_." My head drops to my chest, tears flowing freely. He starts walking away.

"Is this it?" I call after him.

"I don't know," He replies.

_**Apollo**_

Why does this shit always happen? Why can't I just have a normal, drama-free life? I really liked Hestia. And I thought she really liked me, too. Guess not. I guess it was all nothing to her. I march straight past the pavilion, not wanting to look Ares in the eye. Not after he tore apart another of my relationships. I do pass it, though, and everyone seems to be in happy coupledom. Coral is twirling one of Jason's curls, whispering something in his ear. Dionysus is squirming around in his seat while Hephaestus tickles him mercilessly. Hermes and Jane are half-concealed behind a pillar, making out. I pick up speed, not wanting to watch. Sure, I didn't officially end things with Hestia. But it's not like we're making out at breakfast or anything. I don't know what we're going to do. I need some time to think.

I sit, alone, in the cabin through breakfast. Then I get up and head to the arena for monster fighting, but it doesn't hold the same thrill that it used to. Everything seems grey and dull, and I can't think about anything but Hestia.

As we're leaving, Ares has the nerve to talk to me. He asks me what's going on with Hestia, and I snap. I punch him straight in the face, instantly regretting it as I pull back my bloodied fist. Ares looks shocked for a minute, then lunges at me. He underestimates himself and his super-strength, and he easily pins me to the ground. I do my best to avoid his hits, and by the time Hercules and Hephaestus have managed to pull him off of me, I don't think he's broken any of my bones. We've drawn a pretty sizable group of onlookers, and they stand silently, mouths agape, as I stumble to my feet. I've got a shiner and a split lip, and blood is streaming from Ares's nose. Odysseus pushes through the crowd.

"What is going on here?!" He demands. We're both silent, staring at our feet. "You all know fighting is not tolerated outside of the arenas. Ares, you know you can't hit people! You know how dangerous that can be! And Apollo, I expected more of you. You've always been so well-behaved." He sighs. "I'm _very_ disappointed, in both of you. Now, go on up to the infirmary, we'll talk later." Ares shoves through the crowd, and they part like the red sea. I follow behind, still staring at my feet. Behind us, Odysseus shouts at the onlookers to go on to their next activities.

_**Hermes**_

We stare at the spot where Apollo and Ares fought, still not fully believing it. Apollo is the one who always breaks up the fights. He's never part of them.

"What are you waiting for?" Odysseus shouts, "Nothing to see here! Go on, you're going to be late!" Shaking my head, I follow the other boys to the arts and crafts shed. The girls are already there, making friendship bracelets. I grab a piece of paper and some markers, then sit down at the other side of the table.

"Where's Apollo and Ares?" Coral asks, not looking up from her rainbow bracelet.

"They got in a fight," Dionysus explains.

"It was a bloody massacre," Achilles adds, adopting a dramatic, deep voice.

"Wait, Apollo got in a fight?" Artemis asks, quirking an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Hephaestus answers, sitting down with a lump of clay, looking happier than one should with a lump of clay. "Ares said, 'Do you know what's going on with Hestia?' And Apollo punched him in the face." Hestia shifts uncomfortably in her seat, but that may be because of the impractically tight skirt.

"Oh my gods, is he OK?" Athena demands.

"Ares? Sure. Apollo couldn't beat him up with a tank that fires razor blades," Jason scoffs.

"Not Ares, idiot, _Apollo_. Did Ares crack his head open?" Athena asks.

"They were both fine," Perseus says, "Odysseus sent them to the infirmary, anyway, but there weren't any broken bones." Hercules grunts, like he always does after Perseus says something. Artemis shakes her head.

"Apollo never gets into fights," She says firmly, "he won't even let me swat flies. He says it's cruelty, and then he goes on about the fly's family and friends and how sad they would be if he died." Hestia looks increasingly uncomfortable.

"Did you and Apollo have a heart-wrenching break-up because of your little diva outburst over Ares giving Aphrodite more attention than you even though you're dating someone else this morning?" I blurt out. Hestia blushes bright red. Everyone stares at me, mouths agape. "Shouldn't have said that...," I mutter.

"Hermes, did you take your medicine?" Artemis demands.

"What? Yes! Of course I did!" She glares at me. "Um, not yet, but it's on my to-do list..." They continue talking, and I start my drawing. "Look!" I cry when I'm finished, "I drew you an incredibly accurate depiction of the fight!" They lean over and examine my picture.

"Why does Ares have red eyes?" Coral asks, raising her eyebrows.

"Because I'm 99% sure he's the devil," I explain matter-of-factly.

"Why is there a banana on Apollo's head?" Athena asks.

"Oh, that's his hair," I reply.

"That's not how you spell 'die, peasant'," Artemis says.

"Who turned you people into art critics?!" I cry. Hestia lets out a frustrated sigh.

"Guys, this is all my fault," She exclaims.

"Yeah, no way," Aphrodite scoffs sarcastically.

"Knew it," I say, high-fiving Achilles.

"We had a fight, and I basically told him our whole relationship meant nothing to me and I was only doing it to get Ares's attention. But I didn't mean it! I really like him, I just don't know if I like Ares, too," Hestia sighs. We're silent, staring at her. No one knows what to say.

"Well," I finally break the silence, "it sounds like you are a terrible person." Everyone glares at me. Jane hides her laughter with the palm of her hand. Artemis groans and puts her head in her hands.

"Medicine," She says, "_now_."


	13. Chapter 13: Decisions, Decisions

**I am ****_so _****sorry this took so long. I had a big English project that I didn't start until a week before the due date. Also, I have exams coming up, so I probably won't be able to update much next week. Please review, I love getting them!**

**Unknown: Thank you so much! I alway thought that it was Hera who threw Hephaestus off Olympus for being ugly. You get my explanation for why Hephaestus isn't crippled (in the story) in the third book, which I am about halfway through. I've heard that "Heracles" was the Greek name, but I figured people would be more familiar with "Hercules". Thanks for the awesome review!**

**M'nMzutarians 4ever: There's no need to be sorry, any reviews are fine, whenever you give them! I wish Dionysus was my gay best friend, too. I really need one, that would be so awesome. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Anonymous: Thank you so much! That was ****_such _****a nice review! I don't plan on stopping, considering I'm halfway through the third book in this series.**

**Janeisnotonfire: Your name is Jane? That's so cool! Yeah, they do forgive pretty quickly, but they ****_do _****have to live with each other. I guess I never thought too much about that. Thanks for the awesome review!**

**Guest: Sorry, all the robot-minions are Fred and Fred 2.0. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Guest: Thanks!**

**Guest: Updated!**

* * *

_**Persephone**_

I'm standing at the sword-fighting platform, watching Artemis and Athena battle it out, while Odysseus drones on about their fighting techniques. I'm not much of a warrior, but you can't go through twelve years of training without at least knowing how to handle a sword.

"Hey." I know that voice. It's one I haven't addressed in several weeks. Jason.

"I have _nothing_ to say to you," I snap, not turning around. Jason sighs.

"I know. And I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I'm going to beg you for it anyway," He says. I snort, still not facing him.

"Why would you even try?" I demand.

"Because you're my first love," He answers, catching me completely off guard. I didn't expect an answer so _real_. When I don't reply, he keeps talking. "You mean a lot to me, Persephone. And what I did was terrible. I'll never forgive myself, and I can only hope you'll forgive me. I don't have much to say, but will you please hear me out?" I bite my lip, knowing I should refuse.

"Yes."

"I'm not going to tell you she forced it on me, or it didn't mean anything, because that's not what happened." Wow, great start. "All my life, I've been a total loser. I don't talk to anyone, I trip over my own words when I try to talk to girls, no one ever pays me any attention. But you didn't care. It wasn't any different talking to you, I couldn't get a word out without stuttering like an idiot. But you didn't care that I was shy, or that I was a dork, or that I didn't really know how to say things. That's why I love you so much. You gave me my first taste of being remotely cool. Then Coral started flirting with me. Everyone says that Coral is such a catch, and she is really hot-you are too-and I just wanted to be popular for once. So I kissed her. And I'm so sorry. Once it happened, I realized I wanted you, not her. I felt terrible, and the sparks weren't there with Coral. They were there with you. I'm _so_ sorry."

I turn around to face him, tucking my red curls behind me ear. I shouldn't forgive him, but at least he came clean! Doesn't everyone deserve a second chance?

"Look, Jason. I haven't had the best luck with men. I thought you were the one. And maybe you are. So, just in case, I'm going to give you a second chance. But, we're going to take things slow," I tell him. He smiles at me, and it's so genuinely happy that I can't help but smile back.

"Thanks, Persephone," He says. "What are you doing tonight?"

"Meeting you by the lake after dinner," I reply.

_**Hermes**_

Term begins September 1. We hope to see you this year.

I stare down at my Brightwood letter, having deciphered it enough times to have memorized what it says. _Please supply your own horse. Board and medical assistance is available at Brightwood. Blah blah blah, please enjoy your dizzying-curly-handwriting-induced headache while you make the biggest decision of your life._

I groan loudly, flopping backward on my bunk.

"OK," Achilles calls, climbing down from the top bunk, "what's going on with you? You've been groaning for the past, like, fifteen minutes. I wouldn't care, except you keep flopping all over the place and shaking the bed." Gee, what a great friend I have.

"I got into this great school," I tell him. He quirks an eyebrow.

"And that's bad because...?" He prompts.

"Now I have to decide whether or not I want to go," I explain.

"Wait, wait, wait, slow down," He says. "_You_ got in. To a _school_. Are you sure this isn't a prank?" I glare at him.

"Yes, I'm sure it's not a _prank_," I snap, handing him the letter. "It's a riding school. One of the best in Greece."

"I hope they're not known for their difficult academic program, cause you'd be outta there in five minutes," He scoffs, his eyes scanning the letter.

"Wedgie machines aren't that hard to build," I warn him. He drops it.

"Look," He says, "I'm sure it's not that big of a deal." I glare at him.

"Oh, sure, it's only the biggest opportunity I've ever gotten in my life that would hugely affect my riding career and thusforth the rest of my life. So, yeah, no biggie." He smiles at me.

"See? No problem."

"I was being sarcastic, idiot. Jeez, and you call _me_ dumb."

"Hermes, have you ever read a book?"

"What? Pssh, of course. Duh. Books are easy. I read...um..._Hop on Pop_?"

"_Really_?!" He seems genuinely shocked.

"Nope."

"Didn't think so." I stare down at the letter again, sighing._Hop on Pop_ is the least of my problems (although I never did find out what happened. I only got to, "STOP. You must not hop on pop." My dreams were crushed. I stopped reading). "So...?" Achilles prompts.

"So _what_?" I ask.

"So, are you gonna go?" He says. I sigh sharply.

"I don't really know, Achilles, that's kind of what this whole conversation has been about," I snap.

"You're indecisive," He sings, "you can't decide."

"Oh, Gods," I groan.

"You're always looking-"

"No."

"From left to right."

"Stop."

"Girl, c'mon get closer."

"I am not a girl."

"Look in my eyes."

"Please don't do this."

"Searching is so wrong."

"That does not make any sense."

"I'm Mr. Right."

"You are not anybody's Mr. Right." Achilles keeps singing. I groan, flopping back on the bed, the letter forgotten. This is going to be a loooooong night.

_**Apollo**_

"...well done, well done," Odysseus says, as Artemis and Ares climb down off the sword fighting platform, still glaring at each other. "Alright, who's next?" There's a loud cry as at least ten campers volunteer, shoving forward. I stick to the back, content to watch the others fight. "Hmm, Hestia!" Odysseus calls. Hestia climbs up onto the platform, and I avert my eyes. "And...Apollo!" I groan. He has a tendency to pick whoever doesn't want to go. Unsheathing my sword, I clamber onto the platform and cross my blade with Hestia's. "Ready?" _No_. "Fight!"

Hestia immediately makes a stab at my stomach, which I block with my shield. She wastes no time making another attempt, then another, then another, then another. She's relentless, and I don't have time to make any offensive moves. I'm busy protecting myself from her wildly waving blade.

While our swords are pressed against each other in the middle, she whispers to me, "We need to talk." I pull back my sword and swing at hers, sending it clattering to the ground.

"Yeah? What about?" I reply. She grabs her sword and delivers a blow to my armor, sending me skidding across the platform.

"Us," She answers simply. I dodge her sword and scramble to the other side of the platform.

"I don't know what there is to talk about," I snap. She swings at my sword at misses, her blade flying out, of her hands.

"So this is it?" She asks, grabbing her sword and hitting mine with a jarring clang. I don't reply, because I don't know. It was so nice while it lasted. But that just made it all the more painful when it ended.

"I...I'm not sure," I finally reply, falling onto the ground as her sword smashes into my chest. She stands above me, holding her sword up above her head, preparing to end the fight. Just as she's about to bring her sword down, I jump to my feet and press my lips against hers.

"Mmmmmm?!" She cries, but she doesn't struggle. Still holding her against me, I snake my arm around and grab her sword, pulling away and holding the blade up to her throat.

"I win!"

_**Jane**_

I sit on the shore of the lake, my feet being tickled by the cool water. Hermes's arms are wrapped around me, and we sit in silence, enjoying the beauty of the moment. Helios slowly lowers the sun, splashing the sky with lovely colors that are distorted in the ripples of the water below. We're not talking. We're just enjoying each other's company. He's a warm, comforting presence, bottling up my crazy and making me normal for once. I sigh.

"I want to sit here forever," I tell him.

"That would be nice," He sighs, "really nice." Then we're silent again, soaking up the scene and each other. How many more times will we get to do this? It's August. Hermes will be going back to wherever he came from soon, and I'll be staying here.

"What are we gonna do when you leave?" I ask. He shrugs.

"Kill ourselves," He replies shortly. I glare at him. "Hey, at least you'll have an answer if someone asks you why!" I sigh.

"Hermes, think about what you just said. If I were to kill myself, and succeed, I would not be around to answer why," I explain slowly.

"Whatever," He replies, "it's, like, the dumbest question ever. Like, what do you mean 'why'? Because I thought it would be fun!"

"I just think sometimes the world gets too hard," I tell him, "and we all need an escape." He looks at me, smirking thoughtfully.

"You're really smart, you know that?" He says. I roll my eyes.

"I'm not smart, you're just dumb, so I'm a genius by comparison," I reply. He laughs, his peals of laughter lighting up the darkness of dusk. He then gets to his feet, pulling me up. "What are you doing?" I demand. He pulls a bottle out of his pocket.

"Everyone's always telling me to forget," He says. "Well, how can I forget, if this thing is always around reminding me?" With that, he hurls his medication into the inviting water. It slips through the surface where we can't see it, leaving nothing but a ring of ripples.

I pull my bottle of pills out of my pocket, staring at it thoughtfully. I've taken it every day since I was eight, and got it from my dance teacher, who found me fashioning a noose with some pointe shoes. I need it. What would I be like without it? But he's right. I'm in a better place now, and we both need to forget. Knowing I'm making the wrong decision, I pull my arm back, then release. My lifeline flies into the water, then disappears with a splash.

"I just realized something," He says, still staring at the spot where our medicine disappeared beneath the surface.

"What?" I ask.

"That was a terrible idea."


	14. Chapter 14: Escape

**Here's chapter 14! I'm warning you, it's really sad. Please don't kill me. I got three great reviews, I'll post the next chapter when I get two more!**

**Janeisnotonfire: You'll find out whether or not Hermes goes to Brightwood in this chapter. I guess it's kind of weird Apollo wasn't mad about Ares seducing Athena, but he never actually knew that's what really happened. And this is the second time Ares has screwed up his love life, so he might be a bit angrier. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Hotter than u: Wow, great username! Thank you!**

**Unknown: I've heard the thing about soul mates. "According to Greek Mythology, humans were originally created with four arms and four legs. Fearing their power, Zeus split them into two parts, condemning them to spend the rest of their lives searching for their other halves." These people are our "soul mates", because we originally shared the same soul. Your other review didn't offend me at all. I like to hear what you have to say, if it's negative or positive. Thank you so much for reviewing!**

* * *

_**Apollo**_

It's easy to tell that something is up when Hermes comes to breakfast and tells Ares his mohawk looks like a flattened penis stretched out over his head. I mean, it's totally true, but none of us have ever actually _said_ it. Ares rolls his eyes, never having cared about anything Hermes says, and disregards it as him being his usual annoying self. But I keep a close watch on him. No one goes right out and insults Ares if they know what's good for them, and Hermes has known him long enough to know that. And when he asks Dionysus why he never wears skinny jeans and cardigans because he's gay so he should, I know something's wrong.

"Hermes, did you take your medicine?" I ask.

"Nope," He replies, happily pushing the cheerios around in his bowl.

"Why not?" I ask, sighing.

"Chucked it into the lake last night with Jane," He tells me, as if this is obvious.

"You what?" I cry.

"I threw my medicine into the lake last night on my date with Jane," He explains. "It went out really far, and then it sank. It's gone. We'll never be able to find it." He seems completely unfazed. I groan, pushing my head into my hands.

"Why?" I demand. He shrugs.

"I don't know," He replies, "I wanted to." I sigh. Only Hermes would throw his anti-depressants into a lake because he wanted to. I love him, but sometimes I want to hit him on the head a couple times and ask if anyone's in there. Pretty sure the answer is no.

"Why is Hermes taking medicine?" Jason asks, confused.

"Why does your hair look like a poodle got shaved on top of your head?" Hermes shoots back. And that was the end of that.

* * *

I give Fred 2.0 and his siblings a proud look as they march off into the belly of our dragon. Hermes and Hephaestus are polishing the wings, while Ares sharpens the teeth.

"They're beautiful," Dionysus tells me.

"I know," I reply, "they're going to make us so proud." Once the last of the minion-shit has entered the dragon, we swing shut the trap door and step back to admire our creation. Odysseus walks over, eyebrows raised.

"Your monster is...a _dragon_?" He asks, sounding thoroughly unimpressed.

"With a secret weapon," Hermes tells him. From behind us, we hear the girls laughing, showing off their tiny shark thing. It doesn't stand a chance against Fred 2.0.

The monsters parade into the arena, a mass of spiked tails and deadly teeth. Ours looks pretty plain next to Achilles's group's combination of a hydra, a chimera, and a sphynx. But the real weapon is hidden within our dragon. Odysseus blows his whistle, and the monsters attack.

It's immediately clear that the Hydramerasphynx is the toughest of the group. It's many heads lash out at others, destroying three immediately. Our dragon crushes through the crowd to the back, hiding and spitting fire.

"C'mon," Ares mutters, "poop out one of those little demons."

"Fred is not a demon!" I gasp, "Fred is a lovely young robot-minion-poop!" Ares rolls his eyes. Suddenly, the flying shark triples in size and heads straight for our dragon, who we named LeShonda. She's a girl. LeShonda throws back her head, and suddenly, three little robots appear from behind her. They zip out and shoot lasers from their eyes, burning a hole in one of the wings. The shark crashes to the ground, unable to hold itself up.

"Our monster!" Athena cries, "It's dead! Where did those little robots come from?"

"LeShonda's poop hole," Hermes replies, as Leshonda produces many more Fred 2.0's.

"You designed a monster that _poops_ ammo?" Artemis asks.

"Duh," Ares replies. Artemis rolls her eyes.

"That is so _male_," Aphrodite scoffs, flipping her long, blonde hair over her shoulder.

"Say what you will," Hephaestus says, "LeShonda's _shit_ killed your monster." Athena crosses her arms, turning away. We high-five. Odysseus watches LeShonda with interest, smirking softly.

"When you said it had a secret weapon," He calls, "I didn't think you meant it's poop."

"_She_," Dionysus corrects, "not _it_. That's rude. LeShonda is very clearly a _female_ robot-minion-pooping dragon."

"Oh," Odysseus says, holding his hands up, "I'm very sorry, LeShonda."

"She forgives you," Hermes says, watching as LeShonda sprays fire all over a long, winged snake. A group of Freds attacks the Hydramerasphynx, and the last monster falls down dead. "Yes!" Hermes cries, "LeShonda is victorious!" Odysseus chuckles, shaking his head, and walks into the center of the arena.

"The boys have taught us a very important lesson today," He says. "The best way to defeat your opponent is to hide your weapon in your anus." The class laughs. Hermes glances around, confused, probably wondering what's so funny. I sigh, knowing I'll have to keep an eye on him so he doesn't try to shove a knife up his butt.

* * *

We're sitting in our cabin after lunch, during common time, when the door swings open and hits the wall with a bang. Artemis stands there, panting and looking shocked and scared. I jump to my feet.

"What's going on?" I demand.

"Jane," Artemis pants, "We couldn't find her, so we went looking for her, and..." She trails off, trying to catch her breath. Hermes is watching intently, while the other boys couldn't have cared less. Artemis collects herself, then turns to Hermes. "I'm so sorry," She says. Hermes and I look at each other, confused.

"What happened to her?" Hermes asks. He speaks slowly, but there's danger in his voice, as if he already knows and doesn't want to believe it.

"Hermes, she...she's dead. She killed herself." He stares blankly at her, not saying anything, and it's almost as if he doesn't understand. "Hermes..." He shakes his head.

"You're lying," He says, "please tell me you're lying. She wouldn't do that. She _told_ me she wouldn't do that. She can't be dead. Please, please, you're lying, you have to be lying." Artemis shakes her head.

"We saw her body. She jumped off the cliff-" Hermes zips out of the room, no doubt headed for the cliff.

No one speaks. We just stare at the door, as if expecting Jane to walk right through. But she's not coming. She's dead.

"Do you think he's gonna...?" Dionysus is the first to speak, gesturing with his hands to finish his statement.

"Jump? I don't know. Someone should probably follow him," I advise.

"I'll go," Artemis says softly. No one opposes this, and Artemis walks out the door.

_**Hermes**_

_She's dead. She killed herself._

Artemis's words echo in my head as I race for the clifftop. No, no, no, she can't be dead. It's not true. This is all a sick joke, a nightmare. It's not really happening. It can't be happening. Not Jane. No, no, no, it's not true, it isn't happening, she's alive. I reach the clifftop and stare down over the edge.

There, lying on the dusty ground, is a mangled body with distinctive dark hair.

"Jane," I breathe, not believing it. I swoop down toward the ground, determined to prove myself wrong. If I get a closer look, I'll be able to see that it isn't her. Because it's not. It _can't_ be her. I reach the ground and walk across the dirt to the body. Dreading the second I'll see her face, I carefully turn her over.

And there she is. Jane. _My_ Jane. Dead.

A million emotions come rushing to me, as I clutch her cold, limp, body to me. Tears race down my face, and I can't stop the pain.

"Why, Jane?" I ask her body, "Why did you do it?" Her glassy eyes are emotionless and unseeing, void of their usual sarcastic wit.

"HERMES!" Someone shouts. It's Artemis. She probably thinks I jumped, too. Still clutching Jane's body, I fly back up to the clifftop. When she sees I'm alive, Artemis races forward and throws her arms around me. "I'm so sorry," She tells me. Her arms squeeze me tightly, and I don't like it. I don't want her sympathy. I pull away, walking over to sit on the clifftop, and dangle my legs over the ravine.

"She needed to escape," I say.

"We can have a funeral for her," Artemis promises me, "she'll be in a better place-"

"Can you go?" I ask. Artemis doesn't reply. I sigh. "Sorry, I don't mean to be rude. But I just want to be alone."

"I know," Artemis says. She doesn't leave. Seeing my annoyed expression, she keeps talking. "Do you really think I'm allowed to leave you on a clifftop, Hermes?" This is what I've become. I'm the kid they can't leave alone, for fear he'll kill himself. _Great_.

"If I promise not to jump, will you leave?" I ask, not caring that my desperation for her to go is rude.

"You've been known not to tell the truth sometimes," She replies, "so no." I groan, getting increasingly frustrated. Is it that much to ask to be alone, since my girlfriend just killed herself? Artemis sits down beside me. "Are you okay?" She asks.

"Oh, yeah," I reply sarcastically, "just peachy. Never been better." She sighs.

"Well, I didn't expect you to be-"

"Then why did you ask?!"

"Woah, no need to get snappy with me!"

"Look, my girlfriend just died, and all I want is to be alone. But you just won't leave!"

"I can't, Hermes! Why won't you listen to me?"

"Sorry, I'm not exactly in a listening mood right now!"

"Would you just calm down?"

"_Calm down?_! My girlfriend is _dead_! Would you just _leave_?!"

"Hermes, I'm trying to help-"

"You're doing a great job."

"Look, I know you don't want me here, but honestly, I don't want to be here either! This isn't my choice. This isn't exactly _fun_, but you need to accept that you've got some serious problems!"

"You don't know what I've been through."

"I know exactly what you've been through!"

"Really?! Really, so your mom abused you, too? And I didn't know you had bipolar disorder! Tell me, how many times have _you_ attempted suicide? Who's your therapist? Which of your boyfriends has _died_?"

"I didn't mean that. I meant that I know what you've been through, not that I've been through it. Gods, you can be so dumb sometimes!"

"Would you just _go_?"

"I can't!"

"Nobody's making you stay!"

"Yes, they are, Hermes! Get this through your head: I am not allowed to leave you here."

"Great. Just great."

"Oh, shut up! This isn't exactly what I want to do with my common time!"

"Oh, well I certainly wanted to spend my common time mourning my dead girlfriend, so I guess I can't relate!"

"Look, I know it sucks, but that's no reason to take it out on me!"

"Well, I wouldn't be, if you would just _leave_!"

"_I can't_!" It's the last straw. A toxic mix of anger and sadness boils up inside of me. Without thinking about what I'm doing, my hand comes up and strikes her across the face. She stares at me, one hand on her reddening cheek, speechless. The anger drains from me as I look at what I've done. Without another word, she runs off.

"Artemis, wait!" I call after her. But she doesn't turn back, and I don't chase after her.

Like mother, like son.

_**Artemis**_

I race through camp, my cheek stinging painfully. I've heard it said that bullies bully because, often times, they themselves have been bullied. Hermes has certainly been bullied. Is Hermes turning into his mother?

When I'm halfway to the pavilion, I realize what an idiot I'm being. Running away from a friend who needs my help, simply because he slapped me. I'm running from a little smack, when Hermes suffered much worse in silence for six months. Hermes, who's currently alone on a clifftop with a dead body. And I know right now that if he jumped, I'd never forgive myself. But I can't go back. He wouldn't want to talk to me. And I don't know if I want to talk to him. Horrific past aside, he did hit me. I trusted him. And he hit me.

Apollo catches me by the arms as I stumble past his cabin on my way to mine.

"What happened?" He demands, "Where's Hermes? What's wrong with your face?"

"I could say the same to you," I mutter, tucking my hair behind my ear and staring at the ground. Suddenly, I can almost understand what Hermes felt. Why he didn't want to tell.

"Artemis," Apollo says seriously, "what happened to your face?" I sigh, defeated.

"He hit me," I tell him, still looking at my feet, "Hermes. He hit me." Apollo's grip slowly loosens on my wrist, and he sets his jaw, glaring at nothing. Honestly, he can be so overprotective. He steps away from me, starting towards the clifftop. "Apollo!" I call. He turns around, his jaw still clenched tightly. "Please don't do anything stupid," I beg. "He's pretty upset. The last thing he needs is to be yelled at by his best friend." I feel like such a hypocrite as the words tumble out of my mouth. Apollo nods, then jogs off.

_**Apollo**_

When I reach the clifftop, I'm a bit shocked to see Hermes sitting atop it. He hasn't jumped, and I'm a bit sad to say I'm surprised. Jane's dead body leans against him, and he's clutching a piece of paper, staring at it intently. I walk over and sit down beside him.

"It's my fault," He says, eyes still focused on the paper, which I realize is Jane's suicide note. "It's all my fault." He buries his face in his hands, his shoulders wracking with sobs. I wrap my arm around his shoulders.

"It's not your fault," I promise him, "it's not anybody's fault. Unfortunately, things like this happen sometimes."

"No," He gasps, "no, it is my fault. She wouldn't have done it if I hadn't told her to throw her medicine in the lake. Apollo, it's all my fault. I killed her."

"Hermes, listen. She's responsible for making her own decisions. Just because you throw your medicine into the lake, doesn't mean she has to. Did you specifically tell her to throw it in?" I ask, dreading the answer.

"No," He admits.

"There. Then you didn't kill her," I reply.

"I guess," He says, "but I miss her."

"I know," I tell him, squeezing him closer to me as his body trembles with tears, "she was a great girl. A little weird, but great. We're all going to miss her." He doesn't reply, and so we don't talk anymore. He cries, I keep an arm around him and try to calm him down, and Jane's body lies with her head in his lap. Forever still, the eyes open, glassy, and unseeing. It's disturbing and cold and sad, but I know I can't take her body away. I can't steal from him all he has left of the girl he loves.

"I think I'm going to go to Brightwood," He suddenly says, out of nowhere. I sit in silence for a moment, shocked.

"Oh," I finally reply, "okay."

"I think...I just need a new start. I need to get away from everything. And opportunities like this don't come every day," He explains, playing with Jane's hair.

"Yeah, I think that's a good choice," I lie.

"Do you really?" He questions, his eyes wide, hopeful, and terrified. I sigh, knowing I can't tell him the truth, or at least all of it. He relies on me to be his brain. To stop him from making shitty decisions. And I can tell he's not sure why I'm not stopping him.

"Look, I'm not gonna lie. I'll miss you. A lot. But right now, it looks like the best option for you. You can't stay here, not with all the memories. And it's not just anyone that gets into Brightwood Academy. You're an amazing rider, and you've outgrown Ashwood. They can teach you things there that Crystal never could. I'll miss you a ton, but it's the right choice," I tell him.

Suddenly, the reality of what's happened hits me like a ton of bricks. Jane is dead. Gone. She's never going to make another weird comment again. She's never going to go with Hermes to the end-of-camp dance. She's never going to walk down the aisle, she's never going to have children, she's never this, she's never that. Her life is over. At fourteen, she'll never see the light of another day. And Hermes is leaving. He can't take this anymore, he's giving up. He's headed to Brightwood. My best friend is switching schools.

I guess he needed an escape.


	15. Chapter 15: Aftershock

**Here's chapter 15! I have exams, so I couldn't get it up until now. Please review, I'll post the next chapter after I get two reviews! Enjoy!**

**111: Thank you! Yeah, it is sad. After Jane died, I rolled around on the floor for an hour and groaned (true story). Thanks for reviewing!**

**Sunni: Hermes and Artemis don't get together until the third book, but we're nearing the end of this one, so you won't have to wait too long. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Unknown: Jane has a funeral, but it's not until the third book. You'll have to wait and see about Brightwood. I've heard the story about Midas's donkey ears, it's one of my favorites. Thanks for reviewing!**

* * *

**_Apollo_**

Jane's death hits us all hard, but Hermes the hardest. At first, he still doesn't seem to believe it. But he accepts it so quickly it's almost depressing, and I realize why with a singular dread. He's conditioned himself to expect the worst. To know that nothing good can last.

Odysseus tells the camp at lunch the day after the girls found her body, and it's shocking and sad how many people simply go on with their lives. Jane doesn't mean anything to so many people.

But she meant so much to Hermes, and there's nothing we can do but watch as he slips back into depression, worsened by the fact that he threw his medicine into the lake. We can't bring her back, so we just keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't hang himself or anything. We don't let him have blades, ropes, or anything that could be used as a blade or a rope. We don't let him use shoelaces, knives, or forks. He doesn't argue. He knows why.

He hardly ever says anything, either. Sometimes he doesn't come to activities, and when he does he just hangs in the back. Odysseus doesn't make him participate, and so he walks around camp like a ghost, trying not to be seen. Odysseus tries not to get involved, but he does ask why Hermes's sneakers don't have laces, and why he was trying to cut his food with a spoon. So we tell him that we're worried Hermes will kill himself, too, and we don't tell him anything else. Odysseus tells us we're being a bit extreme, and we tell him we're not, and that he doesn't understand. Odysseus lets us go, having dealt with the weird ways of campers long enough to know not to pry. He doesn't know what Hermes faced this school year, and it's not our place to tell him.

The end-of-camp dance is announced, but even those who hardly knew nor cared about Jane Belmont don't seem excited. The fact that a camper actually _died_ shocks everyone, regardless of whether or not it upsets them. Even Theseus lays off bullying us, at least for the rest of camp. The quiet, sadness of the place is a terrible way to end the summer.

_**Hermes**_

I'm sitting in the cabin (I should be at sword-fighting, but I'm not allowed to handle a sword, anyway, so what's the point?), reading over Jane's suicide note, when I realize this doesn't make sense.

_Dear Hermes,_

_I thought you'd find this. I wanted to tell you, one last time, that I love you. I always will. You've done so much for me, you've changed my life. For the better. But I couldn't stop thinking about what would happen when you left. Things would go back to the way they were. And I've taken too much of that world to live in it any longer._

_Please don't be upset. This is my escape. This is what the fates planned for me. I want my last few days to be happy, so I've decided to kill myself before you leave. Thank you._

_Love Always,_

_Jane_

That doesn't make any sense. I mean, initially, I accepted it, because I was too upset to think straight. But now I'm thinking as straight as possible for me, and it honestly doesn't add up. An impending long-distance relationship isn't an adequate cause for suicide, at least not for someone who's faced as much as Jane. Even without her anti-depressants, the idea of me leaving for a few months shouldn't have been the reason she jumped. So, what happened?

That's when it hits me.

_You want to go through with this? Fine. But it's only going to make things worse._

Dad's words come rushing back. _It's only going to make things worse_. At the time, I hadn't understood what "things" he was talking about. But I know now. He meant me. My depression. My life.

He killed her.

* * *

"Hermes, that's a very creative theory, but it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. How could Dad have killed Jane? He doesn't have control over the strings," Apollo reasons.

"That's what I thought, too," I admit. "But Dad is the supreme ruler of the gods, right? All of the gods, including the minor gods. Dad has control over every god and goddess and everything they do."

"What are you trying to say here?" Apollo questions. I can see him slowly starting to believe me.

"I'm saying, Thanatos is the god of death, which means he's in charge of who dies and who doesn't, and Dad is in charge of Thanatos. Dad told Thanatos to tell the Fates to cut Jane's string," I explain. Apollo looks at his hands.

"That's a pretty serious accusation," He says. I sigh.

"She wouldn't have done it," I tell him vehemently. "In her...note, she said she did it because she didn't want me to leave camp. People don't kill themselves because of long-distance relationships." Apollo shrugs, mutters his agreement, and we go back to staring at the floor. Everything is awkward, and I'm not sure if it's because of Brightwood or what I did. "I'm sorry I hit Artemis," I blurt out. He sighs.

"Dude, it's not me you should be apologizing to," He replies.

"I thought you were mad at me," I admit.

"Why would _I_ be mad at you?" He asks. I shrug.

"I don't know," I sigh, "I just thought you would be."

"Well, I'm not," He tells me.

"I'm just...," I trail off, not sure how to say it. "You don't think I'm turning into my mom, do you?" He sighs, still not looking up at me. My eyes widen. He does think I'm turning into my mom.

"No, I don't think you'll ever do what she did," He finally replies. I let out a breath I was unaware I'd been holding. "But I think you need to be careful. You're her son, after all, and you might have her temper. And you definitely know more ways to hurt people than she did."

"Harsh," I mutter.

"But you haven't hurt people, and that's the difference," He finishes.

"I hurt Artemis," I whisper. He grabs me by the shoulders and turns me to face him.

"Listen. You fucked up. Excusable. Just because you're her son, doesn't mean you are her," He tells me. He looks me in the eye, probably expecting me to say something deep and personal about how I feel on the inside about all of this.

"Can I have my shoelaces back?" I ask, "My shoes keep falling off." He sighs.

"Yeah, sure, we hid them under Ares's pile of dirty underwear," He replies.

"On second thought, I don't need them that badly," I decide. "But can I please use a fork again? It's really hard to cut food with a spoon."

"Are you going to stab yourself?" He asks.

"How do you stab yourself with a fork?" I point out.

"I don't know, they're sharp," He replies.

"Yeah, but not sharp enough to go through human flesh."

"Have you tried?"

"Have you?"

"Well, no."

"Doesn't matter. Can I use a fork at lunch today?"

"Are you going to stab yourself?"

"I thought we just went over-"

"_Hermes_." I sigh.

"No. I promised Jane I wouldn't."

"Okay then, sure. But I don't think anyone's going to be brave enough to get your shoelaces out." We eye Ares's cubby warily. It's piled with filthy clothes, rotten food, and dead insects.

"Dare you to touch it," I say, not taking my eyes off the pile.

"What?" Apollo cries, "No way!"

"If you don't it'll make me really sad and then I might just kill myself," I tell him, giving him my puppy eyes. He glares at me.

"Are you blackmailing me?"

"Clearly."

"Dude, I'm not touching that. It'll give me the plague."

"You're such a chicken! Boc boc boc!" I flap my arms and make chicken noises.

"When did you turn three, Hermes?"

"Um...nine years ago?" He sighs.

"Eleven."

"Whatever. You should still touch it."

"Why?"

"Cause I dared you to, so you have to."

"That's terrible logic." We continue to argue over whether or not he should touch Ares's pile of horrors, before I deem it pointless and give up. The other boys come back from monster fighting (where we were supposed to be, but again, I can't have weapons), but the cabin doesn't fill with the usual cacophony of chaos. Everyone's quiet and subdued. I think Ares actually goes over to his bed and reads a book, which is even more shocking than that time Bozhena read a book that wasn't Percy Jackson or Percy Jackson fanfic. Remember that time? Neither do I.

Then Apollo asks if I've talked to Artemis, and I tell him the truth, because he's one of the few people that can tell when I'm lying. So he tells me I need to go talk to her, because she's certainly not going to come talk to me. And I know he's right, so I head on my way to the girls' cabin.

Artemis is sitting on the porch, pretending to listen to Daphne prattle on about archery.

"Artemis?" I call, "Can I talk to you?"

_**Artemis**_

I weigh my options. Sit here and listen to Daphne, or fix things with Hermes. Neither are exactly desirable choices.

"Yeah, sure," I reply.

"Wait, Artemis, I was just getting to the good part!" Daphne protests.

"Later, Daphne, OK?" I request.

"Okay," She sighs dejectedly. I get up and walk down the stairs, then follow Hermes in silence away from the cabin. He stops at the edge of the woods and turns around, his thumbs in his belt loops and his eyes trained on the ground. For a moment, neither of us speak.

"I'm sorry," He finally says.

"Me too," I reply. He shakes his head.

"You didn't do anything," He tells me.

"I should've left-"

"You were only doing what they told you to, and I wasn't listening to you. And, um, are you okay?" He asks.

"Okay?" I echo.

"Yeah. I mean, did I hurt you?" He questions.

"Please, Fairy Feet, you couldn't hurt me if you tried," I scoff.

"Artemis, I'm serious," He says gravely. "It doesn't seem like much now, but a slap can turn into something a whole lot worse, fast."

"Well, you didn't hurt me," I reply flippantly, "and if you ever did, I'd drop kick you across the globe before you got the chance." He shakes his head.

"Sometimes it's not that easy," He mutters. I place my hands on his shoulders.

"Listen," I tell him slowly, "I am not mad at you. You didn't hurt me. OK?" He sighs.

"I'm just worried I'm..." He trails off, his eyes on the ground.

"Too much like her?" I finish. He nods. "Well, you're not. She was a horrible person. And you are a very good person, who bad things have happened to."

"She's not a horrible person!" He defends, "She's just a bit temperamental sometimes!"

"She...okay, Fairy Feet," I sigh, knowing it's not worth getting into this. No matter what she did to him, he'll go to his grave defending his mother. I don't understand it, and I hope I never will. "What about you?" I ask, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," He says, "I'm always OK, right?"

"You say you are," I reply, "but sometimes you're not. And that didn't work out too well, for anyone." We start walking back to the cabin, neither of us talking. Just as I'm about to head up the stairs and be sucked back into another boring conversation with Daphne, he says something that catches my attention.

"Artemis, I'm going to Brightwood." I whirl around, ignoring Daphne's confused look.

"What?"

"Brightwood Academy. I got in, and I'm going."

"Oh." Why can't I think of anything better to say? I should tell him what a great opportunity this is, or how well he's going to do, or at least something to get that nervous look off his face. I don't know why he needs my approval as much as he does, but I have to tell him he's making the right choice, even if I don't agree. "Wow. That's really exciting."

"Yeah, I guess."

"You'll do great."

"Maybe."

"I think you're making the right choice."

"Hopefully. Well, I have to go." He pulls his hat from his pocket and jams it onto his head.

"Where?" I ask.

"I have to bring Jane's soul to the Underworld," He answers.

"Oh," I reply, "you know, Hades could just have a servant come get it or something, if you want."

"No, it's fine. It's my job." With that, he leaves. It really is unfair that he has to deliver the soul of his dead girlfriend. I mean, Hades has about a million servants. And sure, he's a cold-hearted douchebag, but he's our uncle and he's not heartless.

"Artemis, Artemis!" Daphne calls. I groan inwardly and turn to face her. "So, I got a new bow and I got a bullseye on the first shot, and then I..."


	16. Chapter 16: Goodbye, Jane Belmont

**Hey everyone! Here's chapter 16! I am ****_so _****sorry I didn't get this up sooner. I had final exams, and now I have camp so I'm really busy. I'll try to update faster in the future. Thank you for the awesome reviews, please keep 'em coming!**

**M'n'Mzutarians 4ever: No need to feel bad, I love reviews no matter how often I get them. I'm glad you liked it, thanks for reviewing!**

**Tiramisucake: Thank you for reviewing, I'm glad you liked it! Please keep reviewing, it doesn't sound awkward at all!**

**Uknown: These last few chapters are pretty sad, but it gets better, I promise. I hope you liked it, thanks for the review!**

**Guest: Thank you so much! Your review made me really happy. Glad you liked it, thanks for reviewing!**

**Daggerdude: It would be a bit weird if she came back to life at her funeral, wouldn't it? But you almost guessed what's going to happen in this chapter (No, she doesn't come back to life). I've had this written long before I got that review, but it's very similar to what you wanted. I hope you like it!**

* * *

_**Artemis**_

The end-of-camp dance has been deemed officially uncool by Aphrodite and Coral. They say it's because it's always so sad and never as exciting as the start-of-camp, but everyone knows Jane's death is a largely contributing factor. There's no flurry of excitement as everyone rushes to partner up, no eccentric proposals for the dance, no gossip sessions about who likes who. It seems wrong to take part in these usual activities when one of our friends is dead.

Jane's bed is still made, her things still in her cubby, her toothbrush and shower supplies still in the cabinet in the bathroom. It's as if she never left.

And she didn't. Not really. Her memory is with all of us, and it's a happy one. The memory of a girl who had nothing, and suddenly, her life was turned around. There's a small shred of pride in all of us that we could give her friendship and happiness, things she'd never had. Even if we couldn't save her, we made her last few months happy.

"Do you have a date for the dance?" Athena asks, as we haul ourselves up the climbing wall. I dodge a fist that pops out of the wooden planks and pull myself ahead of her.

"What do you think?" I reply, slipping on a slimy rock and dangling precariously by my hand.

"Me neither," She replies, bumping into me and knocking me from my position. I slide down at least six feet, suspended by the rope tethering me to the wall, and catch myself on a rock. "Be my date?" She asks, after I've scrambled back up and am even with her.

"I'd be honored," I reply, placing my foot on a narrow stone and hoisting myself up. We're neck and neck, until Athena steps on a rock that isn't a rock at all. It falls out from under her foot, and she goes rocketing towards the ground, leaving me to climb up and ring the bell. I drop and let myself float down, the tether extending and depositing me lightly on the ground.

"Well done," Odysseus commends me. "What did Athena do wrong?"

"She wasn't prepared," Apollo calls out. "If she'd been holding on tighter with her hands, she wouldn't have fallen."

"Right," Odysseus says, "you always need to be prepared for anything. This climbing wall is full of faulty rocks. Don't trust anything." Odysseus dismisses us, and we start walking towards the pavilion. Ahead of us, Apollo and Hestia are holding hands. Athena makes a disgusted noise.

"Look how lovey-dovey they are," She scoffs, "_disgusting_." I know she's only saying it because she wishes that was her holding hands with Apollo, but I'd prefer not to get involved in their catfight for my brother's attention.

"Um, sure," I reply, knowing Athena can do all the talking as long as I assure her I agree.

"I mean, isn't that kind of rude? After what happened to Jane?" She prattles. "To just go on with your life like nothing ever happened?"

"Well, I don't think-"

"I think they should cancel the dance altogether. It's not right to have such a happy event after one of the campers has killed herself," She says fervently. I guess she does have a point, but not everyone was that close to Jane, and all the campers deserve to end their summer with a bang. After I point this out, Athena says, "I think Jane dying was bang enough, don't you?" I sigh, knowing it's no use arguing with the goddess of wisdom. Then, suddenly, she says, "You're right."

"What?" I cry. I'm never right. Not when I'm arguing with Athena.

"I'm just bitter because they're so happy together," She sighs miserably. "I miss when that was us."

"Oh," I mutter, "um, it's okay..." I'm terrible at comforting people, especially when they're whining about how much they love my brother.

"I tried to break them up," She confesses, "I knew that Hestia still has a soft spot for Ares, so I asked Peitho to come try to get them back together. It almost worked, but I just felt so bad!"

"Sometimes that happens when you try to ruin other people's love lives for personal benefit," I reply, cringing at my words as they come out of my mouth. Athena doesn't seem to notice.

"We were happier than that!" She cries.

"Um..."

"He'll come around. Eventually. Because we're endgame. And endgame doesn't change." My eyes fall onto the back of Hermes's head, and I think to myself, _endgame does change._ I had an endgame. But sometimes endgame can't be endgame. Athena continues to prattle on about her relationship, but I can't bring myself to listen. Because, right then, it hits me.

We are never ever ever getting back together.

_**Hermes**_

I sit on the clifftop, my legs dangling over the edge, fiddling with the jar in my hands. The others are at the dance, making it easy for me to slip away. My first date with Jane had been the start-of-camp dance, and the end-of-camp was just too similar.

I turn the jar over in my hands, sighing._ I am gonna be in so much trouble._ You see, I'm not exactly _supposed_ to steal dead souls that are supposed to be in the Underworld. But I didn't want to part with Jane. Not yet. She loved the outdoors, she loved being wild and free. And I don't want her stuck in the dreary home of the dead. I unscrew the cap from the jar, and the wind picks up around me, absorbing her soul.

"Hey, Jane. Can you hear me?" I ask softly. The wind howls in my ears, and I can faintly make out, _Hermes Hermes Hermes I hear you_...and then it's lost in the roar of the wind. "I miss you." _I miss you too_. Her whispers through the wind are quieter, her soul slowly becoming part of the air around me. "Why did you do it?" The wind is less powerful this time, and her answer is almost inaudible. _Because I love you_. "That makes sense." _I'm sorry_. I can barely make it out. "Jane, wait!"_ Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye..._ "Jane!"_ I'll never forget you_. "Wait, no!"_ I'll always..._And then her voice is lost. "Jane!" I cry, "Jane, no! Wait!" She doesn't reply. My head drops to my chest, hot tears pricking in my eyes. "Goodbye, Jane Belmont."


	17. Chapter 17: Another Summer Gone

**Chapter 17 is finally here! I am ****_sosososososososo _****sorry I didn't update sooner. I was at camp for three weeks, and then I was only home for a few days before I left for Greece. I just got back. It was absolutely amazing! But anyway, on with the story. Please review!**

**M'n'Mzutarians 4ever: The last few chapters are pretty sad, but it all turns out okay in the end (except there are two more stories). I'm glad you like the story, though! Thanks for reviewing!**

**Unknown: Don't hate Athena! She was kind of right, wasn't she? Hestia did still love Ares. But it was kind of a mean thing to do. As for your opinion on the myth of Persephone and Hades, there are a lot fanfics with that scenario, but I never liked it. They seemed to different to love each other, and besides, he kidnapped her and forced her against her will. But to each his own. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Guest: Um...thank you? Not sure if this is a positive review or not. Apollo and Hermes kind of have the bromance thing going on, don't they? Anyway, thanks for reviewing!**

**Guest (another one): Okay! I'm continuing! Thanks for the review!**

**Guest (a lot of you are called "Guest", aren't you?): Thank you! **

**Guest (I'm starting to think you're all the same person): Updated!**

* * *

_**Hermes**_

I grab a T-shirt out of my cubby and fold it up, throwing it carelessly into my bag. The cabin looks unfamiliar now, the beds stripped of their blankets, the cubbies halfway-empty. The end of camp is always sad.

"The best part of camp was probably saving Artemis from Prometheus," Achilles says, "that was pretty badass. And the worst part was getting hung on the wedgie machine." We're going around, sharing our best and worst camp moments, as we do every year.

"The best part was watching LeShonda's poop kill the girls' monster," Hephaestus tells us, "and the worst part was when Apollo insisted we get Achilles down from the wedgie machine."

"The best moment was taking Persephone to the dance," Jason muses, smiling, "and the worst was when we broke up."

"Awwww," We chorus mockingly.

"You're such a sap, Jason," Perseus says, chucking a shoe at him. "My favorite part was beating Theseus at Heroes vs. Villains. And my least favorite part was when we were on lock-down all night. I was hungry!"

"I think my best moment of camp was when Hestia and I kissed for the first time," Apollo says dreamily. "And the worst part was when I acted like a total retard in front of Daphne."

"The best part was when Hephaestus asked Odysseus to marry him," Ares decides. There's a chorus of agreement, and a groan from Hephaestus. "And the worst part was when Hermes dumped pink goo on my head." I smirk at the memory. That _had_ been fun.

"The best part for me was going to the dance with Hephaestus," Dionysus says. We don't let him finish. He's bombarded with shoes as we tease him for being such a sap and making us all look bad. "And the worst part was this," Dionysus groans, taking a shoe off his head and chucking it across the room.

"My best moment was probably when I got my Brightwood letter," I say, realizing, at that moment, that was the happiest I'd felt in a while. Sure, all the dates with Jane were probably better, but I can't bring myself to think about them. "And the worst part was when Jane died." It's out of my mouth before I can stop it. The rooms goes silent, and everyone freezes for a moment, before going back to packing. No one says another word. Eventually, the bell rings for curfew, and we all go to our respective bunks. Stripped of the bedding, they're bare and uncomfortable. Normally, we would be staying up all night, anyway, so it wouldn't matter. But everyone is quiet tonight, probably because of what I said.

Tomorrow, we'll leave. I'll go back to the palace and confront Dad, then I'll pack my things and head to Brightwood to start over. I'll officially be alone. I won't have friends, they'll all be at MOHS (Mt. Olympus High School-doesn't have the same ring to it, does it?). I won't have a family, either. I won't be speaking with my dad, and the gods only know what happened to my mom. I'm starting all over, facing a new future that will hopefully be better than my past. And I'm scared to be the new kid, but I'll do it anyway. And I'm sad about leaving my home, but I'll get over it. Because no matter how horrible it is, it'll be better than this. My future is a blank page, totally unpredictable, new, and scary. And soon I'll be facing that future.

But for now, I have one more night of the past.

* * *

"I'll miss you!"

"I'll miss you more."

"I'll miss you most."

"I'll miss you most-_er_."

I roll my eyes, pulling Jason away from Persephone and breaking up the sickening love-fest.

"Yeah, yeah, we get it, you'll miss each other," I groan. Jason glares at me. "What?" I ask innocently, "I don't get to say goodbye?"

"I was busy," He hisses.

"Dude, you've been saying goodbye to Persephone for the past twenty minutes," Achilles puts in, "you do know you have other friends, right?" Achilles and I look at each other, then burst out laughing.

"That's funny," I gasp, "Jason doesn't have friends." Jason gives me his "menacing face", which only makes me laugh harder.

"Bus leaves in five minutes!" Odysseus announces. Daphne looks like she's about to cry, clinging to Artemis's arm, babbling in her ear. And Artemis looks like she's about to kill someone, namely Daphne. The boys exchange bro-hugs (it's like a hug, but manlier). Then Odysseus calls us onto the bus, and I take a seat in the back, alone.

Everyone stares in silence out the window, watching our waving friends and the place we called home for the last three months disappear. Then we round a corner, and everything, all the fights, the friendship, the romance, the laughter, the tears, the drama, the adventures, the _memories_, are gone.

It was just another summer at training camp.

* * *

It's dark when the bus reaches MOJH campus, dropping us off to wait for our parents. Chariots pull up, one by one, taking campers back to their homes, until only the ones who live at the palace are left. Hercules, Perseus, Athena, Hephaestus, Ares, Dionysus, and I. Dad is always late, so it's not a surprise.

A chariot pulls up, hard to make out in the darkness. But it looks smaller than the one Dad drives, less flashy and less intricately designed, and pulled by a single, brown mule.

My brow furrows as the chariot draws nearer. I recognize that mule. His name is Dirty Banana (don't judge, I named him when I was three), and he lives in the basement of our cave in Arcadia. The chariot pulls up, and a tall woman steps out. Her brown hair is arranged in an intricate bun and her dress is clean and beautiful, making her look out of place in the simple, rickety chariot pulled by the old brown mule.

"Hey, Mom," I greet her.

"Hi, honey," She replies. I walk over to Dirty Banana and pat him on the nose.

"Hi there, Dirty Banana," I whisper to him, rubbing him behind his long ears, "long time no see." Dirty Banana snorts. Mom watches us silently, unsure of what to say. The tension is thick in the air as everyone watches us. Dirty Banana licks my palm, looking for treats. "Gross," I mutter, "mule spit."

"Ready to go?" My mom asks.

"Where?" I reply, not leaving the safety of Dirty Banana's side. He's been the family pet since I was three, and I trust him to kick my mom in all the right places if she lays a hand on me.

"Home," She answers simply. And that's that. I climb into the chariot with her, ignoring my friends' disbelieving looks. She gives the reins a flick, and Dirty Banana trots off, his long ears flopping about lazily. We ride in silence, and I watch the scenery I've known all my life pass. Finally, about fifteen minutes into the ride, she says, "I heard about your friend." I stare at my shoes.

"You mean Jane?" I ask quietly.

"Jane," She replies. "I'm sorry about that." I don't know if it's the fact that she's right here, next to me, or that we're going home, or that we're talking about Jane, but before I know it, tears are pouring down my face. Mom stops Dirty Banana and sits down beside me, looping her arm over my shoulder and pulling me closer. Despite what she's done, she's my mother, and I let myself be hugged. Part of me is still terrified of what she might do, but I push the fear aside. She's my mom. She won't hurt me.

"I'm leaving, Mom," I tell her suddenly. She looks up at me, surprised, her raised eyebrows prompting me to continue. "I got in to Brightwood Academy. It's a boarding school. And I'm going." I instinctively tense, waiting for her anger and fists.

"Brightwood," She muses, "I remember that name."

"You came to a show once," I begin, "and after I competed, we went and saw the elite competitions. The Brightwood team won the whole thing, and I told you I was going to go there."

"And you are," She says, "I'm so proud of you, sweetie." I look up at her, realizing how much I've missed this. Friends are great, but they're not anything like a mom. Mom is someone that I can bring my Brightwood letter back to, and she'll be happy without that hint of hating you for getting in. Friends will be happy for you, sure, but part of them hates you. "We need to get going," She finally says, standing up. "How was training camp?"

"Oh," I mutter, "it was...fun. Crazy. Sad and amazing all at the same time. But how do you describe something like that?"

* * *

I get up early the next morning and leave without telling my mother. It takes me about 2.6 seconds (new record) to get to the palace, and Zeus is still asleep, but I don't care. Jane was still young and had her whole life to live, and it took him about 2.6 seconds to kill her. Once I reach the throne room, I tell a servant I want to see Zeus. He gives me a pleading look, knowing Zeus won't be pleased to have been woken, and goes to rouse the great king of the gods.

Zeus stumbles down the stairs a few minutes later, and I lunge at him.

"Why'd you do it?!" I demand.

"Woah, woah, woah, why did I do what?" He asks, playing innocent. I roll my eyes in disgust.

"You know what," I hiss. "Why did you kill Jane?!" My father watches me, expressionless, for a moment.

"So you figured it out," He finally says. I cross my arms, glaring at him. "I did it for your own good."

"For my own good?!" I cry, "How is killing my girlfriend for _my own good_?! You didn't do it for my own good! You did it because you're cold, heartless, and cruel. You told me you didn't like her. But I didn't think you'd go this far."

"Hermes, I saw her string. Her future wasn't bright, and it affected yours," He says.

"SO WHAT?!" I scream. "We'd get through it! We'd help each other! Surely that's better than _killing_ her!"

"You're not as strong as you think you are," He tells me, voice calm and patient.

"No, I think I'm not as _weak_ as _you_ think I am," I snap. "Being abused sucks. But it hardens you. Everyone always told me I was a doormat. That I let people do whatever they wanted to me. Well, I'm standing up now. You can't just _kill_ people you don't like!"

"Oh, really?" He asks, eyebrows raised. "That day Artemis found you in the lake, you didn't like yourself so much. And you're solution was suicide" I fumble for an answer, my mouth open, but no words come out. He chuckles. "We're more alike than you think." That strikes a nerve. _Alike_? No. This man cheated on his wife so many times that she just expects it now. This man tied his uncle to a rock to be tortured for all eternity, simply for giving the mortals a chance to survive. This man killed my girlfriend because he didn't like her.

"Alike?" I hiss, "No. I may be your son, but I'll _never_ be like you." I turn for the door.

"Hermes-"

"So, I guess I'm alone now, then? No mom, no dad. Great." And with that, I push the door open and leave.

Ohana means family, and family means no one gets left behind.

So, I guess when someone does, you don't have a family anymore.


	18. Chapter 18: Brightwood Academy

**This is the final chapter! The third installment is called "Oh Gods, High School!". I haven't posted it yet, but I plan to post a sneak peak after this chapter. Thanks so much for all of your great comments and support. You guys really made me feel great.**

**I also wanted to point out the title of this chapter. It's called "Brightwood Academy". If you look back to the first chapter, it's also called "Brightwood Academy". This is a tribute to my idol as a writer, JK Rowling. _I open at the close._**

**Loves chipmunks: First of all, great screenname! Who doesn't love chipmunks? Wow, you read both books in one day? That's pretty impressive! SPOILER ALERT: Hermes and Artemis ****_do _****get back together, but not until the third book. However, this is the last chapter of the second, so you won't have to wait too long. Thank you so much for an awesome review!**

**withtheocean: Glad you liked it! Thanks for reviewing!**

**Not a guest: The story follows Hermes and Brightwood and the others at Mt. Olympus High School. Thanks for the review!**

**Unknown: I know, it took me a really long time to update. Sorry! I was at sleepaway camp. Glad you liked it. Thanks for reviewing!**

**M'n'Mzutarians 4ever: You'll just have to wait and see! All your questions will be answered. Thanks for reviewing!**

* * *

_**Hermes**_

After confronting Dad, I just start running. I don't know where my feet are going, but they take me to MOJH, and I guess it's because I'm leaving behind a lot of memories. Memories of three wild, terrifying, amazing, horrible years. And I'm leaving them tomorrow, I've decided, so I need to say goodbye.

Except I'm not really sure how to say goodbye to memories. Memories aren't people, so I can't exactly get up and say, "Hey, Memories. We had some great times, huh? I guess we did. But then, other times, we didn't. So, on behalf of the good times, goodbye, old friend. On behalf of the bad times, fuck you."

I walk into the building and down a hallway lined with lockers. And there's mine. Locker 251. I twist the lock and swing open the door, peering into the empty locker. There's still a bit of dirt left from Theseus's prank last year, but other than that, it's as if no one had ever been here. I shut my locker and wander into a classroom , taking a pencil and a piece of paper from the teacher's desk, and then I start writing about something that's been bugging me since I got back from camp.

_Deer Mom,_

_I think Jane will probubly have a funeral And I'm not gonna be there. I'm leeving for Brightwood toomorrow. So here's the thing: I love her. And I wunt her to no that, even if I'm not at her funeral. So could you put this in her grave, or sumthing?_

_Jane,_

_Sorry I'm not there. At your funeral. But I'm mooving on, Jane. I'm going to a new skool, so I can forget and get better. But I love you. You were the best thing to ever happen to me. And it's a shame your ded, becuz I think I would've married you if you lived. I hope you like your coffin, I gess. At leest your not in the underworld. It smells down there, so I opened your jar and let your sole out into the world._

_You were prity yung, Jane. I hope that deth really is just another chapter uv life, becuz I don't want yours to be over. You had a lot ahed uv you. You were reelly gonna be sumone. And maybe you can be sumone when ur ded. You sed u needed an eskape. I hope you went somewhere cool, and I hope you love it as much as I love you._

_Maybe this is sad. Maybe I shouldn't rite u a letter, becuz your dead. Maybe, since ur just a memory now, this is really, really, really, sad. But maybe it's not. Maybe it's remembering, and maybe that's OK. My life is a lot of maybe's now. And maybe I'll never know exactly the answers._

_Everything is sort of a blank page now. I'm gonna start riting soon, I gess. I'm restarting, so I don't no what I'm going to rite on my blank page. But the first thing I write will be your name. Becuz I want to forget a lot of things from my old page, but your not one uv them. Duz that make sense?_

_I like to think your still here, becuz your sole is in the wind now. So sumtimes I may talk to you. Is that OK? Maybe you could even talk bak. So this isn't the end of us._

_Keep in tuch,_

_Hermes_

_Could you cut that owt, and put it in her grave? That would meen a lot to me. Thanks._

_Love,_

_Hermes_

I sneak back into the house and lay the note on her bed, and then I leave the caves of Arcadia for the final time. I spend the rest of the day flying around Olympus, saying goodbye to all the places I've palace gardens and the forest, MOJH, Ashwood, the hospital wing of the palace, and the room I spent most of last year locked up in. It seems to be a stupid thing to say goodbye to, since I resented most of the time I was cooped up in there, but I want to commit everything to memory. I'm starting over soon, but that doesn't mean I have to forget the old me. And this room is a piece of the old me, so I'm saying goodbye to it, too.

By the time night falls, I'm sitting in the tree Artemis and I climbed oh-so long ago. That was a great night, but now the memory seems to shove a dagger into my chest. It hurts to think of all I had then. And if Artemis had chosen me over hunting, would I have ever even met Jane? Well, sure, maybe I'd have met her. But I wouldn't have dated her, and I might not have even been friends with her. Dad would never have had a reason to kill her.

I start toward my old room in the mental hospital, my mind racing, thinking of all the things I could've-no, should've done to keep her alive. I should've taken Dad's words to heart; broken up with her or had a secret relationship. I shouldn't have thrown my medicine into the lake, and then she wouldn't have thrown hers. I should've been there to keep her from jumping. I should've caught her .

Tears start racing down my cheeks. I beg myself not to think, not to cry. I'm so good at not thinking, except when I don't want to think. I can't stop the memories, I can't stop the could-have-beens, the possibilities, the thoughts. The idea that I had the power to make this not just another story that ends. And there I am, sitting on the floor of my old room in the mental hospital, sobbing. At that point, Iris walks in, probably having heard noises in a room she thought to be vacant.

"Oh," She says softly, "I see we still need some therapy."

And all this time I spent forgetting, all this time I spent moving on, all this time I spent doing everything I could to get better, was all in vain. Nothing's changed.

* * *

"Are you sure you have everything?" My mom asks, surveying the three bags by my feet. I don't have a lot of stuff, but combined with Lancelot's equipment and grooming tools, it's a pretty large load.

"Yup," I reply. We're standing at the door to Ashwood, where I'll put Lancelot in the trailer and take him to Brightwood. I've known I would have to for a few weeks now, but I never liked to think about saying goodbye,.

"Well, okay then," She says, "I guess this is goodbye." It was goodbye a long time ago, I think to myself, it was goodbye the first time you hit me. You haven't been my mother since.

"I guess it is." She gives me one last hug, squeezing me tightly. I tense, wary of not being able to escape, and she releases me. "Bye, Mom," I tell her, picking my stuff up off the ground and starting to walk into the barn.

"Bye, honey," She replies, "have fun!" I wave to her, and she waves back, until I've rounded a corner and am now facing the long rows of stalls. As I walk down them, Quicksilver whinnies at me. I turn to face him, and he bobs his beautiful, grey head happily. I slide open the stall door and let him sniff me. He rubs his face all over me, and I wonder if he's missed me. I glance down at his feet and see they're painted pink.

"Summer's left her mark on you, huh?" I ask. He blows air out of his lips at this, as if sighing in agreement. I laugh and ruffle his mane, my other hand scratching him behind the ear. His coat is shiny and clean, so at least Summer's had someone take care of him. I doubt she's done it herself.

"Hermes!" Crystal shouts, "You have fifteen minutes to get Lancelot ready for the trailer, or you're not going to Brightwood!" I roll my eyes, stepping out of Quicksilver's stall.

"Duty calls," I tell him, "see you later." I walk down the hall to Lancelot's stall and grab some polo wraps from his cubby. He almost steps on my fingers at least a million times, but I manage to get his legs wrapped without losing any extremities.

After Lancelot has his shipping boots and bandages, head bumper, and tail wrap on, I go to prepare the trailer. Crystal oh-so-kindly reminds me that if I'm not finished in ten minutes, I'm walking to Brightwood. Without Lancelot. I put rubber mats on the floor of the trailer, lay down sawdust so it's nice and soft, and fill a net with hay for Lancelot with two minutes to spare.

Then I run up and down the hall whooping and cheering and successfully kill and positive regards Crystal had for me.

"Hermes!" She cries, "You're going to spook the horses!"

"Two minutes left!" I cheer, "I got the trailer ready in eight minutes!" Crystal rolls her eyes.

"If you don't stop shouting, I'm going to unpack the trailer and make you do it all over again," She threatens. I fall silent and stand to attention immediately. "Blackmail always works," She muses. I furrow my brow, cocking my head. "What? I didn't say anything! Um, go put Lance in the trailer!" I hurry off towards the stall, wondering whether I should laugh or run for my life. I slip on Lance's halter and lead him to the trailer. I swing open the door and am about to lead him in when there's a loud shout of, "SURPRISE!" I nearly drop the lead rope in shock. Seated on the floor of the trailer are Dionysus, Hephaestus, Apollo, Ares, Artemis, Aphrodite, Athena, Hestia, and Persephone.

"You didn't think we were gonna let you leave without saying goodbye, did you?" Dionysus asks.

"I...well, I guess," I admit.

"How long did it take you to get the trailer ready?" Apollo asks. The whole competition team has had a contest going for six years, and he's currently in the lead. Well, _used_ to be in the lead.

"Eight minutes," I brag. Apollo groans.

"I guess you win, then," He sighs. They move to the sides of the trailer while I lead Lance on. Crystal gets into the driver's seat and tells us we can ride in the back with Lance, if we want. She starts the engine, and we begin the two hour drive to Brightwood Academy. Brightwood is hidden in the mortal world behind what's called a shroud. It's impenetrable by mortals and hides things from their eyes. It would be a great way for the Titans to escape and hide, except to immortals, it's pretty much a flashing sign that says, "OH HEY I'M RIGHT HERE COME GET ME!" They're very colorful and easy to see. Our trailer is also hidden behind a shroud, since they haven't yet been invented in the mortal world.

"I'm so nervous for high school," Hestia gushes, as we bounce along, clinging desperately to anything we can. Crystal isn't the best driver.

"Oh, please. High school'll be easy. There's only one thing you have to do," Aphrodite says wisely. Hestia raises her eyebrows, prompting Aphrodite to continue. "Be beautiful!" She and Persephone chorus, flipping their hair at exactly the same time. I swear, it's never going to _not_ be creepy. Hestia looks a cross between irritated, devastated, and terrified. Apollo puts an arm around her.

"If all you have to do is be beautiful," He says wisely, "then you'll be fine." Hestia blushes and leans into his arm.

"I'm excited for high school," Dionysus says, always the optimist, "maybe there'll be s'more gay people!"

"Hey!" Hephaestus cries, "What's that supposed to mean?!" We keep talking as the ride progresses, swapping remember-when's and I'm-gonna-miss's.

We make good progress, except for when Lancelot makes a shit on Ares's head and we have to stop to wash that out. Then the shroud breaks or something (they do that sometimes if they're poorly made. Crystal's is poorly made), and some little mortal girl sees a group of teens in futuristic clothing standing in front of a big machine she's never seen before, washing shit out of a mohawk. She stands completely still for a moment, then screams and runs for her life, her arms flailing wildly. None of us know how to wipe her memory, so we deem it a lost cause and clamber back into the trailer, once Lance's poop is out of Ares's hair. Then we keep talking, cherishing the moment before us is gone. Who knows when we'll next be together like this, sitting in a circle, laughing and talking? With me two hours away at a new school, it'll be next to impossible.

"I heard freshmen can go out for the football team," Hephaestus asks, "anybody gonna try out?"

"Totally," Ares replies vehemently, "I can throw a football all the way across the field." I roll my eyes. Aphrodite snorts, but turns it into a cough when he looks her way. Ares keeps talking about football, oblivious to when Lancelot walks over and...well...

"Ares?" Athena interrupts meekly, giggling into the palm of her hand.

"What?" He asks.

"Lance is, um, Lance is peeing on your shoulder."

"GODS DAMMIT WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS HORSE? WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU FEED HIM, HERMES?!" We burst out laughing, while Ares chases Lancelot around the trailer. Crystal stops the trailer when she hears the commotion, but tells us there's nothing we can do about the pee and keeps going. Then we hear the familiar buzzing that always accompanies a shroud (another reason why they're terrible for hiding), and we know we're close. Everyone stops talking for a moment to listen to it, and a feeling of sadness and premature nostalgia washes over all of us.

Parting seems so _real_ now. And we all knew it was going to happen, but in a way, we didn't. These are the people I've known all my life. These are my friends. These are my family. These are the people who were there through it all, and even though sometimes I hate them (coughArescough), they'll always be my best friends. And now...well, they'll still be my best friends. But there's this growing feeling among us that it will never be the same.

Then we pull into the drive at Brightwood Academy, and I turn to face my friends, trying to appear calm and confident. I guess I don't succeed, because Artemis rushes forward and throws her arms around me. "You're going to be fine, Hermes," She tells me. And I wish I believed her.

"I...yeah, I know," I reply shakily. Because right now, that blank page, that uncertain future, that fresh start, is no longer an idea. It's a reality. And I'm not ready for it. I'm not ready to be alone.

"Alright, we're here!" Crystal shouts, dropping the door to the trailer. Artemis releases me, and I grab my things and Lance's lead rope. The others move to the side of the trailer while I lead him out, then follow me out of the trailer.

_Wow._

Brightwood Academy is huge, to put it simply. We're standing in front of the academic building, according to a sign in front of us. It's three times the size of MOJH, and made completely out of brick. The double doors are wooden and shiny, adorned with golden handles. To our right is a path covered in hoof and foot prints alike, leading to the barns and riding arenas. To our right is a stone sidewalk, leading to dorm rooms. Students carrying trunks and boxes are milling about, while a group of excited cheerleaders waves at the incoming cars. Five students sit atop gorgeous, shiny horses, behind a sign that reads, "Brightwood Competition Team- 8th Century BCE National Champions". They're wearing pins telling new students to ask them anything, but it's clear they're mostly for show. They look bored and irritated at having to sit still all day without doing anything, and the horses look equally so.

"Wow," Athena breathes.

"You can say that again," I mutter.

"Hi!" A perky cheerleader greets, running over to us and waving spastically, "Welcome to Brightwood!"

"Hot damn," Ares mutters, in Swedish.

"I hope you have a wonderful time here at Brightwood. May I be of assistance?" She asks.

"Ye-"

"No, we're fine, thanks," I assure her, cutting Ares off.

"Okay. Well, have fun at Brightwood!" She calls, running over to join her fellow cheerleaders again. Crystal turns to me.

"Got everything?" She asks.

"Yup," I reply.

"Okay then," She sighs, "say your goodbye's, and be in the trailer in five minutes." With that, she climbs back into the driver's seat.

"Wow, I'll miss you too, Crystal," I mutter. Then I turn to my friends, trying to persuade myself I'm ready to say goodbye. Aphrodite and Persephone almost strangle me in a hug, squealing in my ear about how much they're going to miss me. Athena and Hestia are gentler, but only a bit. Dionysus, Hephaestus, and I exchange bro-hugs (definition on page 135).

"Don't kill yourself, Fairy Feet," Ares tells me.

"Got it," I reply. He gives me a high-five. Ares has never been the bro-hugging type.

"So, I guess this is goodbye," Apollo sighs.

"Yup," I say, "I guess it is." We stare at each other for a moment, before exchanging the biggest bro-hug that's still manly known to man. Because sometimes, bro-hugs speak louder than words, and I honestly don't know what to say. Have you ever tried saying goodbye to your best friend? If you answered no, then try chopping off a limb. It feels about the same.

Then Artemis and I are left staring at each other. Her blue eyes are shining with unshed tears, and I suddenly feel a wave of guilt crash down upon me. I don't think I've ever seen Artemis cry ever. She never even cried as a baby. She just popped out and helped deliver Apollo. I made her cry.

And suddenly I'm almost on the ground, a pair of arms clinging to me for dear life. Artemis almost knocks me over, and her tears wet my neck.

"Remember to write."

"I will."

"Send us pictures."

"Okay."

"Tell us everything."

"Don't worry, I will."

"And you'll tell us if anything...bad happens, right?"

"Nothing's going to happen

"Right?"

"Right."

"Okay then. I guess that's it. Bye."

"Bye." I love you. Something inside me longs to hold her to the spot and never let her leave me. But I've got my path, and she's got hers. This is where they fork, and go in different directions. Maybe they'll cross again later. But for now, I'm following my path. Towards my future.

Crystal honks the horn, calling them into the trailer. Artemis gives me a sad smile, then releases me.

"Good luck," Apollo tells me, clapping me on the shoulder. Then they climb into the trailer, and Crystal starts the engine. This is really goodbye. Eighteen hands pop out of the window and wave. I find myself smiling slightly, and I wave back. Then the trailer starts backing up, and I force myself to turn around, swallowing the lump in my throat.

"Hermes!" It's Crystal's voice that calls me name, and I turn back towards the trailer, wondering if Crystal is actually going to say goodbye, tell me good luck, or that I was more than just another boy that dated her daughter.

"Yeah?" I reply.

"Shoulders back. You have a tendency to slump sometimes." Oh. Well, what was I expecting?

"Will do." With that, she rolls up the window, and I turn back around.

"Oh, and one more thing," She calls.

"Keep my heels down?" I guess.

"Good job. I'm proud of you."

"Wait, what?" I cry. She smirks, starting to roll up the window. "Crystal, wait!" She starts to pull out. "I need to get that on camera!" But the windows are up, the truck has turned around, and she and my friends are headed home. Without me.

That's when the wave of anxiety hits me. What if I don't make friends? What if I'm not good enough? What if I get expelled because of my grades? What if I get expelled because of my riding? What if everyone hates me? What if I slip back into depression and try to kill myself? What if I'm the only new kid in the whole school? What if all the teachers hate me cause I'm an idiot? What if Macey Malone's chimera siblings are here trying to eat me? What if I fall off during tryouts for competition? What if I make the team, then fall off at the competition? What if I _die_? (okay, so I didn't think that one out. But whatever. It could happen.)

Then Lancelot gives me a push with his nose, towards the big brick building. And everything seems right, in that moment. This is my new home. It's a world full of horses and riders and people with whom I fit in. People who've never met me. People who don't know about me. This is my fresh start.

_You're ready for this_, I tell myself. And finally, I believe it. As I take a step forward, I realize I'm not scared anymore. All along, I was terrified of leaving, when staying was what would have hurt me. I'm actually going to move on.

Lancelot snorts impatiently and shoves me forward, towards Brightwood Academy. Towards a new beginning. Towards being a success story, instead of a suicide note. Towards normality, finally. Towards saying, "I'm okay," and towards people having no reason not to believe me. Towards parents that aren't abusive and girlfriends that don't jump off cliffs and dads that don't kill said girlfriend. Towards a new day, a new life, and a new me.

Towards my future.

**The End**


	19. Sneak Peak: Oh Gods, High School!

**Hey guys! As promised, here is the sneak peak to the third book (which I just finished writing), Oh Gods, High School! If you guys have any questions for me, leave them in a review, and I'll answer in an author's note. Thanks for all the great, positive support you've given me. This is the first time I've shared my writing in a public forum, and you guys assured me it was a good choice. Thanks so much, and I hope you'll read the third book!**

**Also, if you've got a twitter, please follow me! I'm M_O_J_H (initials of my first story, Mt. Olympus Junior High). Feel free to talk to me or ask me questions on twitter. I'd love to hear from you guys!**

**Loves chipmunks: Thanks so much for reviewing! I hope you'll like the third book, I can't wait to share it with you guys!**

**gayborhood: Um...thanks? I ****_think _****that's a positive review. Also, great screen name!**

**Guest: Don't worry, Ares and Hestia get back together in the third book. I'm glad you liked the story. That was a super nice review and it made me feel great. Thanks for reviewing!**

**unknown: School is starting for me, too. I have my first day tomorrow. Poop. Thanks for reviewing!**

**StayStrong16: Thanks? You said it irritated you, but then you said it was still good, so I'm gonna take that as a compliment. **

* * *

_**Hermes**_

Brightwood is about ten times as fancy as MOJH was. For one thing, at MOJH, we had a _cafeteria_. At Brightwood, we have a _dining hall_. It's basically a glorified hallway, with a high, arching marble ceiling, and four long, wooden tables. They each seat about 100 students.

It appears friend groups have already been established, and it's easy to see who's who. Sitting at the end farthest from the teacher's table is the competition team, and judging by the wide berth everyone gives them, they're the popular kids. Next to them are the cheerleaders, followed by a group of muscular guys in varsity jackets that I take to be the football team. I sit down somewhere in the middle, with two other new kids and a whole slew of sixth graders.

"Hi!" One of them greets excitedly. "I'm Hebe!" Hebe's blonde curls bounce happily, her blue eyes sparkling with excitement. She doesn't seem at all nervous, while everyone else looks confused and scared. "What's your name?" Hebe asks a boy sitting next to her. He looks about my age.

"I'm Aristaeus," He mutters, staring at his food.

"Are you going to eat any of that?" Hebe asks, the energy never leaving her voice.

"I'm a vegetarian," He replies.

"Oh," She says, "well, I'm vegan. Sometimes. When I want to be. I'm Hebe, did I mention that? Goddess of youth. Who are you?" She looks at me expectantly.

"Hermes," I reply. She gasps.

"OMG, I've heard of you!" She cries, "You're, like, the messenger guy, right?"

"Um, yeah. I'm the messenger guy," I mutter.

"What about you, Aristaeus?" She asks.

"I'm god of animal husbandry," He says.

"Oh. That's...interesting." Her perky tone never fades.

"I'm twelve," Hebe babbles, "I'm in sixth grade and this is my first year. I do show jumping. What about you? What grade are you in? What do you do?" Aristaeus and I look at each other, while Hebe keeps smiling, glancing back and forth between us.

"Ninth grade," Aristaeus finally answers, "speed racing."

"Cross country," I reply, "I'm in ninth grade, too."

"Oh, isn't this great?" Hebe squeals, "I have friends."

"Wait, what?" Aristaeus cries.

"Friends," Hebe repeats, "we're friends, right?" Aristaeus and I exchange a look. I glance back at the perky, energetic sixth grader and sigh.

"Um, sure," I mutter. Hebe squeals in excitement and jumps up and down in her seat. Aristaeus glares at me. Hebe continues to babble on for the rest of the night, telling us everything from her favorite color to delivering her first horse. Then, towards the end of the meal, a tall, slender man with a perfectly gelled moustache calls the room to attention. It takes me a second, but eventually, I recognize him as Alder Bracken.

"Welcome!" He shouts. There's a cacophony of cheering. "Yes, yes, it is exciting, isn't it? To our returning students, welcome home. To our competition team, congratulations on another National win. And to our new students, welcome to Brightwood Academy!" More cheering. I clap with the others, unsure of what to do. "Classes will begin tomorrow. Please get your schedule from the office before curfew. Which, as many of you seem to forget, is at nine o'clock!" He continues to brief of us on school rules, during which most people tune out. Then, he says something that seems to get their attention. "Now, for our new students, we have a Brightwood tradition to introduce you to." The room goes wild. People are cheering and laughing and screaming, while the new students look around nervously. Alder Bracken waves his arms, and the room breaks out in song.

_Welcome to Brightwood, we're gonna have some fun_

_But first, all the new kids, take a plunge in the dung!_

Wait, what?

_Tradition, tradition, we've done it every year_

_It may be gross and smelly, but it's sure to get a cheer!_

Everyone stands up, and the new students are herded out the door with the rest.

_Maybe two months, or three months, who knows how old?_

_It's covered in bugs and flies and maybe a bit of mold!_

"What are they talking about?" Aristaeus asks me. I shrug.

"It's tradition!" A passing girl tells us, before continuing the song.

_You can muck stalls, paddocks, pastures but you'll never come close_

_To ever doing anything that's possibly this gross!_

Okay, I'm rethinking my decision to come to this school.

_Almost there, we're almost there, you're gonna have a ball,_

_This is all the stuff we clean from every single stall!_

They lead us down the dirt path and around a wooden barn to the back, where the largest pile of horse shit I've ever seen sits, in all it's glory. And stationed above it, hanging off the roof of the barn, is something that looks a lot like a diving board.

...oh no.

_Climb up there, climb up there, then make the fateful leap._

_Falling for forever, until you hit the heap!_

They push us towards a rickety-looking ladder and start herding us up it. The ladder quakes dangerously, new students suspended off of every rung.

_Don't you worry, don't be scared, it will be lots of fun,_

_You don't belong at Brightwood 'till you've landed in the dung!_

Before I know it, I'm standing on the roof, but for a much different reason that the last time I was standing on a roof. I'm pushed along by the other newbies towards the diving board, which can't be safe. I peer over the heads of the students in front of me, and catch site of Hebe whooping with joy as she falls into the pile of shit. The song has ended, and the students have adopted a steady cheer.

_Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump!_

Then I'm being shoved onto the diving board, facing Mt. Horse Excrement. Someone grabs my winged hat off my head. I stare at the pile of poo below me, close my eyes, and leap. It takes about two seconds for me to hit the soft, warm shit. I join at least twenty other new kids, sitting in the surprisingly comfy dung heap. Hebe scrambles over to me.

"Isn't this fun?" She exclaims, tossing a handful of poop at me.

"Oh, yeah," I reply, "I love jumping off buildings into year-old piles of poop." Hebe grins from ear to ear.

"Me too!" She squeals. Suddenly, Aristaeus lands beside us, holding something.

"Here's your hat," He grunts. I take it from him and jam in onto my head, never having liked being without it.

"Aristaeus, isn't this great?" Hebe demands. Aristaeus sighs and nods reluctantly.

"Yeah, I guess it is sorta fun," He admits. Hebe squeals with joy.

"I love having friends!" She shrieks. Aristaeus looks at her, the ghost of a smile appearing on his face.

"Yeah," He mutters, "me too." Who knew jumping into a pile of horse crap could bring people together as well as it does?

Later that night, back in my dorm (after I've washed the horse poop off of myself), I take out a piece of paper and write my first letter.

_Hey guys,_

_Britewood is weerd. I went shitdiving._

_Frum,_

_Me_


	20. Author's Note

**Hey guys! Just wanted to let you know that the next story, "Oh Gods, High School!" is up! I'm sorry it took so long, I just started school, so I've been kind of busy. I'm also going to respond to your reviews of the last chapter.**

**Guest: Thank you! The next one is up, please go read it!**

**Loves chipmuncks: Thank you ****_so _****much! That was so nice of you to say. You all have been so nice with all your positive feedback. I really appreciate it. All of you have encouraged me to keep writing, and I could never thank you enough. I hope you enjoy the third one!**

**Your pretty swag: It's uploaded! Glad you're excited, please check it out! Also, awesome screen name!**

**unknown: No need to apologize. I love reviews no matter the length, and that one was particularly specific, which I love. Thanks for reviewing!**

**That's all! Thank you so much for sticking with Hermes and Friends and reading the second story. I hope you'll read the third one, too, and I hope you'll like it. You've all been amazing with all your reviews, and I could never explain to you how happy you make me. Hope to hear from you in the third book!**

**-kaufmanl **


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